[Comprehensive] "Trapped and Dying Like on a Japanese Cruise Ship" Tragedy of Group Infections in Nursing Facilities

"No manpower support or solutions" Frontline medical staff appeal
Government plans to dispatch epidemiological investigation and medical support teams to nursing hospitals

On the 29th, a patient at a nursing hospital in Guro-gu, Seoul, which was cohort quarantined due to a COVID-19 confirmed case, is looking at the snow falling outside the window. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Amid ongoing cluster infections of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in nursing facilities, it has been revealed that deaths are rapidly occurring, especially among high-risk patients. As a result, a public petition has been posted, urging the government to directly intervene and rescue the patients.

On the 28th, a petition titled "Please rescue nursing hospital patients who are cohort-isolated and dying, trapped like on a Japanese cruise ship" was posted on the Blue House public petition board.

The petitioner, who identified themselves as medical staff working at a nursing hospital in Guro-gu, Seoul, stated, "There was an incident where 712 people were confirmed positive and 13 died due to cohort isolation caused by the Japanese government's misjudgment after confirmed cases occurred on a Japanese cruise ship," and added, "An even worse situation is happening in South Korea."

Previously, on the cruise ship "Diamond Princess," which was docked at Yokohama Port, Japan, a cluster infection occurred, resulting in 712 confirmed COVID-19 cases among those on board. The petitioner appeared to be drawing a parallel to emphasize the severity of cluster infections occurring in Korean nursing hospitals.

A medical staff member working at a nursing hospital in Guro-gu, Seoul posted a public petition urging the government to increase support for nursing facilities. / Photo by Public Petition Board Capture

The petitioner revealed that a cluster infection broke out at a nursing hospital in Guro-gu, with 157 confirmed cases identified through six rounds of comprehensive testing. According to the petitioner, two of the confirmed patients died while waiting, and after being transferred to a dedicated hospital, two more died.

They continued, "What is most serious is that caregivers and some nurses have quit, and the remaining nurses are also getting infected," adding, "If the existing nursing staff burn out and collapse, no one will be able to care for the patients. So far, no manpower support has been provided, leaving the situation bleak with no solution."

It has been confirmed that as cluster infections of COVID-19 occur in nursing hospitals with many elderly and patients with underlying conditions?high-risk groups for COVID-19?the number of deaths is increasing.

On the afternoon of the 29th, a COVID-19 confirmed patient is being transferred by ambulance to a designated central hospital from a nursing hospital in Guro-gu, Seoul. / Photo by Yonhap News

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, as of midnight on the 29th, the total number of new COVID-19 deaths in the country was 40, of which 28 (70%) were related to nursing hospitals and nursing homes. The number of confirmed deaths in nursing facilities reached 5 in December, accounting for 16.5% of all deaths this month.

As the issue of cluster infections in nursing facilities grows, the government plans to directly dispatch epidemiological investigation teams and medical support teams to assist on-site.

Son Young-rae, head of the Strategic Planning Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, said at a press briefing on the 29th, "We will establish a medical support team within the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters for the time being and deploy it to sites of cluster infections in nursing hospitals," adding, "We will support local governments in relocating cohort-isolated patients and deploying medical personnel."

When cohort isolation is decided based on epidemiological investigation results, local governments separate confirmed patients, contacts, and general patients within nursing hospital facilities and reassign medical staff. Meanwhile, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's Central Disease Control Headquarters dispatches central epidemiologists to support investigations upon local government requests.

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