Jeonnam Province, Full Efforts to Block COVID-19 Local Transmission Links

[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Jeonnam Province has recently established a dense defense barrier for rapid connection blocking and launched an all-out response as COVID-19 local infections have occurred continuously, mainly centered on private temples.

According to Jeonnam Province on the 18th, from the end of last year to early this month, a Seoul citizen stayed for a long time at Gwaneumsa Temple in Samho-eup, Yeongam-gun, and on the 14th, two monks and one believer were infected with COVID-19. Subsequently, 18 people were confirmed positive through contact between believers and village residents.

In addition, the head monk of Heungdeoksa Temple in Gangjin-gun visited Gwaneumsa Temple in Yeongam earlier this month, and the head monk and two believers of Heungdeoksa were additionally confirmed positive on the 16th.

A Gwangju citizen who operated a sweet potato farm in Yeongam-gun was confirmed positive on the 16th through a full inspection of a village in Dopomyeon, Yeongam-gun.

Accordingly, as a result of testing 17 workers at the sweet potato farm, two foreign workers were confirmed positive on the 17th, and the remaining 15 tested negative and were placed under self-quarantine.

The province is strengthening quarantine by conducting full inspections of foreign workers engaged in agriculture in Yeongam-gun starting from this day, and is also conducting full inspections of foreign workers working in industrial complexes within the province.

Earlier, the province immediately closed the facilities related to Gwaneumsa Temple in Yeongam and Heungdeoksa Temple in Gangjin due to concerns about additional infections. Along with this, an administrative order was urgently implemented recently, mandating visitors to these facilities from December 29 last year to the 15th of this month to undergo diagnostic testing by the 20th.

As a result of comprehensive diagnostic testing to block local infection links, 1,634 people related to Gwaneumsa Temple in Yeongam have been tested so far, with 21 positive and 1,613 negative results.

Among 202 tests related to Heungdeoksa Temple in Gangjin, 3 positives and 199 negatives were confirmed.

From last night until 2 p.m. today, 5 additional local infections occurred in Yeongam, Naju, and Hwasun, increasing the cumulative confirmed cases in Jeonnam to a total of 665, of which 603 are local infections.

Kang Young-gu, Director of Health and Welfare Bureau of Jeonnam Province, said, “Due to the rapid increase in local infections centered on private temples in the Jeonnam area, there is concern about spread to the community. We will not lower our vigilance and will mobilize all administrative resources to block transmission.”

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