Jeju Halla Sauna Cluster Infection Spreads Widely... "Urgent Inspection of Saunas in the Province"

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters (Jeju) Reporter Park Chang-won] In Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, the spread of local infections is intensifying, with 16 new COVID-19 cases linked to Halla Sauna reported in a single day.

According to Jeju Province on the 18th, as of 3 a.m. that day, 16 additional confirmed cases related to Halla Sauna were reported.

Starting with Jeju patient number 149, the operator of the Halla Sauna convenience store who was diagnosed positive on the 16th, related confirmed cases have been spreading rapidly.

Health authorities conducted epidemiological investigations to identify entry records and regular membership information of Halla Sauna, and carried out diagnostic tests on 106 visitors and others.

Additionally, emergency inspections have been completed at 58 out of 87 bathhouses in the province, with the remaining 29 scheduled to be inspected by the end of the day.

Earlier, Jeju Governor Won Hee-ryong presided over an emergency meeting at his office at 2 a.m. that day, ordering comprehensive testing of sauna users and strengthening quarantine measures by sector.

Governor Won emphasized, “Since saunas have high levels of enclosure and close contact, posing a significant risk of infection, urgent and special quarantine measures are essential,” and added, “We will promptly implement tailored and strengthened quarantine measures by sector to block infection chains.”

He continued, “As it has been confirmed that the links in the cluster infections are gatherings such as meals among acquaintances and various meetings, it is necessary to issue an advisory to residents emphasizing strict compliance with quarantine rules, especially refraining from gatherings and observing social distancing, and to continuously strengthen public awareness campaigns.”

In the Jeju area, 27 new confirmed cases were reported in a single day on the 17th. The cumulative number of confirmed cases stands at 181.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.