Health Authorities: "Transfer of Confirmed Cases from Dongbu Detention Center Due to Need for Isolation and Security"

A person wearing protective clothing is moving inside the Seoul Eastern Detention Center, where a group outbreak of COVID-19 cases occurred.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] As a large number of mild COVID-19 confirmed cases in Seoul Eastern Detention Center are scheduled to be transferred to the Gyeongbuk Northern Second Correctional Institution in Cheongsong-gun, Gyeongbuk, the quarantine authorities explained that this is because both 'isolation and security management' of inmates are necessary.

Jung Eun-kyung, head of the Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH), said at a regular briefing on the 26th, "We are preparing to establish and operate a separate living treatment center (for transferring COVID-19 confirmed inmates)." Unlike general confirmed cases, confirmed inmates require both isolation and security management, so the plan is to utilize a separate correctional facility like a living treatment center.

However, Head Jung stated, "In principle, inmates who need hospital transfer depending on the severity of their symptoms will be transferred to hospitals, and those who do not require it will be managed by operating a separate living treatment center," adding, "Nothing has been finalized yet, and detailed plans are under discussion."

According to related authorities, the Gyeongbuk Northern Second Correctional Institution has recently been designated as a living treatment center for confirmed cases from the Eastern Detention Center, and about 500 mild patients are expected to be transferred.

Seoul Eastern Detention Center [Image source=Yonhap News]

The quarantine authorities explained that regarding criticism that the scale of infection in the Eastern Detention Center grew due to delayed mass testing, they have been gradually expanding testing focused on close contacts after confirming the infection of the index patient, a correctional facility worker.

Park Young-jun, head of the CDCH epidemiological investigation team, said, "The index patient was infected on the 28th of last month, and since then, we have classified contacts and potential exposures among colleagues and inmates and continuously conducted mass testing on those subjects." He added, "The first confirmed case occurred on the 14th, and by that time, mass testing had been conducted on about 650 inmates and workers," and "As the scale expanded due to additional transmissions, the need for mass testing of all inmates was raised."

Subsequently, about 180 confirmed cases were found in the mass testing conducted on the 18th, and combined with the second mass testing on the 23rd for those who tested negative, a cumulative total of 520 related confirmed cases emerged.

Authorities confirmed that after a large-scale cluster infection was identified in the first mass testing, about 170 inmates who tested negative were transferred to a correctional facility in Sokcho, Gangwon, to reduce the density of inmates exposed to the virus.

Team leader Park explained, "Some of those who tested negative on the 18th at the Eastern Detention Center were transferred to other correctional facilities," but added, "The same day, a second mass test was conducted at the Sokcho correctional facility, resulting in one additional confirmed case."

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