18 Confirmed Cases Including 2 Workers at Changwon Nursing Hospital in Gyeongnam... Infection Route 'Unknown' (Comprehensive)

Shin Jong-woo, Director of Welfare and Health Bureau, Gyeongnam Province.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Ju-cheol In] As of 1:30 PM on the 17th, Gyeongnam Province announced a total of 18 confirmed cases: 10 in Changwon, 3 in Jinju, 2 in Geoje, 2 in Gimhae, and 1 in Sacheon.

In Changwon, two men in their 40s and one man in his 20s tested positive and were classified as cases 1719, 1720, and 1722.

A woman in her 30s with an unknown infection route, two men and women in their 40s, a woman in her 60s, and a man in his 20s tested positive and were classified as cases 1715, 1716, 1723, 1728, and 1729. Two people in their 50s, family members of case 1729, also tested positive and were classified as cases 1731 and 1732.

Notably, cases 1715 and 1716 were confirmed to be workers at a nursing hospital in Changwon.

In Jinju, two men and women in their 80s with unknown infection routes tested positive and were classified as cases 1717 and 1721. One additional confirmed case related to the Jinju International Prayer Center was reported. A woman in her 50s, a family member of the confirmed case, tested positive during self-quarantine and was classified as case 1727.

In Geoje, two foreign men in their 40s who arrived from France and Russia respectively tested positive and were classified as cases 1724 and 1725.

In Gimhae, a teenage male with an unknown infection route tested positive and was classified as case 1718.

A man in his 30s, a colleague of case 1718, also tested positive and was classified as case 1730.

In Sacheon, a man in his 40s with an unknown infection route tested positive and was classified as case 1726.

Accordingly, the cumulative number of confirmed cases in the province has increased to 1,729 (278 hospitalized, 1,445 discharged, 6 deceased).

In Gyeongnam, the social distancing level 2 has been extended for two weeks, maintaining the ban on private gatherings of five or more people. However, cafes are allowed to serve customers on-site until 9 PM, and religious facilities are permitted to hold in-person services such as regular worship, mass, Buddhist ceremonies, and memorial services at up to 20% seating capacity.

Shin Jong-woo, Director of the Provincial Welfare and Health Bureau, stated, "It is important for businesses in multi-use facilities to voluntarily comply with quarantine rules," adding, "If a cluster infection occurs due to violation of quarantine rules, we plan to implement one level higher administrative measures for the same industry within that area."

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