Hwasun County Governor Guchung-gon Appeals to the Public for Cooperation in COVID-19 Mass Testing

[Hwasun=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Young-gyun] Gu Chung-gon, the governor of Hwasun County, Jeollanam-do, urged the voluntary cooperation of residents for a full investigation to detect asymptomatic confirmed cases early.

On the 21st, Governor Gu stated in an appeal to the residents, “Recently, the number of confirmed cases nationwide has exceeded 1,000 per day, and 23 cases have occurred in the county this month,” adding, “Among the confirmed cases in the county this month, 65% are asymptomatic, spreading ‘silent transmission’ without the confirmed individuals even knowing.”

He continued, “Although we have taken strong preemptive measures such as cohort isolation, mandatory preemptive full testing, mandatory testing for hospital and clinic staff, and cohort-level quarantine measures for welfare facilities, it is difficult without the cooperation of the residents.”

He also urged, “To find asymptomatic confirmed cases as quickly as possible, we are conducting anonymous testing regardless of symptoms, so we ask for the active participation of all citizens in the preemptive diagnostic testing.”

In the Hwasun area, a total of 35 confirmed cases have occurred, with more than half, 23 cases, confirmed this month alone, indicating a serious spread.

In particular, since a confirmed case occurred at a nursing hospital in the district on the 12th, cases have continued daily, with five confirmed cases reported in a single day yesterday.

The confirmed cases classified as Jeonnam 504 to 508 are all related to the nursing hospital under cohort isolation since the 13th, including one medical staff member residing in Gwangju Metropolitan City and four inpatients.

Since the 13th, the county has placed the nursing hospital under cohort isolation, conducting daily full diagnostic tests on those isolated, but confirmed cases continue within the nursing hospital, and on the 19th, confirmed cases also occurred outside the nursing hospital, increasing the sense of crisis.

Governor Gu Chung-gon said, “So far, the county has faced several critical moments but has overcome them well with the cooperation of the residents,” and added, “To protect yourself and your family, please refrain from year-end and New Year gatherings and visits to high-risk areas, and strictly follow personal hygiene rules such as wearing masks and hand sanitizing, as well as facility-specific quarantine guidelines.”

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