Bang Daebon: "It's Not the Situation to Get into the Year-End Mood at All"... Urges Cancellation of Gatherings and Trips

Ski Resorts, Religious Sites, and Care Facilities Identified as High-Risk Locations for COVID-19

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[Asia Economy Reporter Eunbyeol Kim] The Central Disease Control Headquarters identified nursing facilities, nursing hospitals, religious facilities, hotels and other accommodations, ski resorts, and year-end gatherings as places with a high risk of COVID-19 infection. They urged people to stay home on weekends and cancel all travel plans, emphasizing that it is not a situation to hold gatherings while caught up in the year-end atmosphere.

Im Suk-young, the Situation General Manager of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, said at a briefing on the 19th, "In a pandemic situation, no place is safe, whether with close friends or acquaintances," and added, "It is absolutely not a situation to hold gatherings or dinners while caught up in the year-end mood." He also emphasized, "I ask once again that you stay safely at home this weekend and cancel all face-to-face year-end gatherings and year-end travel."

Regarding the act of not wearing masks, he stated, "It is not simply personal negligence but can cause serious harm to others, so it is important not to create a no-mask situation." He also stressed that meal gatherings should avoid creating such situations.

The places identified by the health authorities as having a high risk of COVID-19 infection include nursing facilities, nursing hospitals, religious facilities, hotels and other accommodations, ski resorts, and year-end gatherings.

Im first said, "Since confirmed cases have been rapidly increasing recently in nursing hospitals, stronger quarantine management is necessary." This is because an analysis of 26 recent cluster infections showed that 17 cases occurred in nursing hospitals, nursing facilities, and psychiatric hospitals, while 9 cases occurred in acute care hospitals such as general hospitals and clinics.

He said, "Looking at the infection routes, most cases were transmitted from workers and caregivers, accounting for 73% or 19 cases of the total." The rest were transmitted from patients or users. Many infections occurred through private gatherings of workers, which then spread within the facilities. There were also cases where infection confirmation procedures were insufficient when replacing caregivers. Insufficient testing of new admissions, lack of monitoring of symptomatic individuals, and inadequate management of shared spaces and visitors within facilities were also confirmed.

Im said, "Medical institutions and nursing facilities bear the heavy responsibility of protecting the health and lives of high-risk groups, so I once again urge thorough efforts to prevent infections and further transmission within facilities."

He also mentioned cluster infections that occurred at ski resorts. A total of 18 people tested positive for COVID-19 at a ski resort located in Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do. The confirmed cases include ski instructors, employees of ski equipment rental shops, ski school staff, trainees related to ski resort operations, and PC room users.

Im said, "Ski resort workers living in shared accommodations and dining or drinking together had a high risk of transmission," and added, "Users are at high risk of transmission during changing ski clothes or when using restaurants and convenience facilities within the resort."

He continued, "I urge ski resort workers to refrain from face-to-face gatherings and to strictly follow quarantine rules such as handwashing, wearing masks, and maintaining distance during meals." He also advised users, "After visiting ski resorts, please go straight home without group gatherings, and if you have a fever or respiratory symptoms, get tested immediately at a screening clinic."

Regarding religious facilities, he said, "There have been reports of cases where people prepared for Christmas thanksgiving services without wearing masks during sermons and praise rehearsals, as well as a one-night, two-day Christmas event." He also mentioned reports of weekly evening Bible study and meals, and small gatherings of 10 to 100 people closely interacting with snacks and conversations. There were also reports of church officials visiting congregants' homes to conduct worship services.

As of midnight that day, 1,029 new confirmed cases were reported domestically, with 24 cases imported from overseas. The number of new daily confirmed cases has remained in the 1,000s for four consecutive days. The total cumulative number of confirmed cases is 48,570. There are 275 critically ill patients, 14 deaths reported that day, and a cumulative death toll of 659.

Regarding a religious facility in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 9 additional cases were found during contact tracing, bringing the total confirmed cases to 24. In a religious facility in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, the first confirmed case occurred on December 17, and 12 additional cases were found during contact tracing, bringing the total to 13.

In a religious facility in Yeoju-si, Gyeonggi-do, the first confirmed case also occurred on December 17, followed by 13 additional confirmed cases, bringing the total to 14.

At a nursing home in Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, 60 additional confirmed cases were reported after the 17th, and 8 additional cases were found during the investigation of a call center in Nam-gu, Daegu. Regarding a religious facility in Jeju-si, Jeju-do, 10 additional cases were found during contact tracing, bringing the total confirmed cases to 53.

A total of 131 temporary COVID-19 screening clinics are operating in the metropolitan area. Since the 14th, 124,800 tests (non-invasive PCR tests) have been conducted. There have been 1,687 saliva tests and 2,635 rapid antigen tests, totaling 119,207 tests conducted. Among them, 286 people were confirmed positive for COVID-19.

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