Gyeongbuk Province Secures 352 Additional Beds at Pohang and Gimcheon Medical Centers … Lee Cheol-woo "Strengthening Fast4"

Andong National University Opens 200-Room Residential Treatment Center on the 30th
"Completely Blocking Contact Between Guards and Residents at Gyeongbuk Northern Second Prison"

Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province, presiding over an emergency quarantine measures meeting on the 27th.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dongwook Park] Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province, convened an emergency quarantine countermeasure meeting on the last day of the holiday, the 27th, to review the special quarantine status for the year-end and New Year COVID-19 and instructed to strengthen the 'Fast4' (Fast Detection, Quarantine, Message, Decision) response system.

Gyeongbuk Province is focusing on 'Fast Detection' by expanding specimen testing and epidemiological investigations amid the third wave of COVID-19.

During the first wave, the highest number of daily tests was 2,216, but in the current third wave, 4,984 tests were conducted on the 22nd, with an average of 3,619 tests per day over the past five days.

In Gyeongbuk Province, maximum testing is being conducted to quickly detect asymptomatic and mild cases, including Pohang City conducting mass testing of all residents in Guryongpo-eup through a special administrative order.

At the meeting, after receiving a data analysis report from the Infectious Disease Management Support Group, Governor Lee expressed concern over the prolonged occurrence of confirmed cases and strongly ordered a significant expansion of hospital beds and residential treatment centers for 'Fast Quarantine.'

Gyeongbuk Province plans to secure a total of 615 beds by adding 91 beds at Pohang Medical Center by the 29th and 261 beds at Gimcheon Medical Center by January 7, in addition to the currently operating 236 beds.

Regarding residential treatment centers, besides the 388 rooms operated by the state within the province, the province will open 200 rooms at Andong University on the 30th and secure an additional 500 or more rooms by mid-January. To this end, Gyeongbuk Province will allocate contingency funds and disaster management funds.

The meeting also discussed measures to block community transmission following the transfer of confirmed cases from Seoul Eastern Detention Center to Gyeongbuk Northern Second Prison. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters will dispatch two additional doctors to the clinic-level hospital at Gyeongbuk Northern Second Prison, and correctional officers will work three consecutive days at the prison followed by 14 days of quarantine in separate facilities to completely block contact with local residents.

Regarding cluster infections in religious facilities, Gyeongbuk Province is conducting thorough guidance and inspections of churches daily. On the 25th, Gyeongbuk Province and each city and county deployed 1,797 personnel to inspect 2,882 churches, and on the 27th, 1,851 personnel inspected 2,715 churches. Governor Lee personally requested active cooperation in quarantine from the Gyeongbuk Christian Federation, Daegu Catholic Archdiocese, and Andong Diocese on the 24th.

Governor Lee Cheol-woo emphasized, "Since this wave is spreading widely mainly among family, acquaintances, and religious facilities, the administration must block the spread with bold and swift responses," adding, "Let Gyeongsangbuk-do take the lead in overcoming the crisis with the experience and wisdom gained from overcoming the wave in February and March."

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