Among 8 New COVID-19 Cases in Gyeongbuk, 6 Occurred in Pohang... All Related to Bathhouses and Acquaintance Gatherings

Pohang City to Enforce Mandatory Testing for 'At Least One Person per Household' Starting from the 26th
Cumulative Confirmed Cases in Gyeongbuk Region Reach 2,840 as of Midnight on the 26th

Mayor Lee Gang-deok of Pohang holding an emergency briefing on the 25th and announcing the issuance of an administrative order.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Dong-wook] In Pohang, where the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) is spreading from a 60s 'acquaintance gathering' following a bathhouse cluster, six additional confirmed cases have been reported.

According to Gyeongbuk Province on the 26th, as of midnight on that day, the cumulative number of confirmed cases in the Gyeongbuk area reached 2,840 (including 29 imported cases) with eight new confirmed cases reported the previous day, including six in Pohang and one each in Yeongju and Gyeongsan.

Among the six new confirmed cases in Pohang, four are related to the bathhouse cluster, and the other two are linked to the 'acquaintance gathering' cluster.

In Pohang's Buk-gu district, after 14 women in their 60s held a gathering at home on the 16th, one person was confirmed positive on the 21st. Subsequently, on the 24th, eight participants and their family members tested positive, and with two more added on this day, the related cumulative confirmed cases increased to 11.

Bathhouse-related confirmed cases have also surged significantly this month. Since the 5th, a total of 24 confirmed cases have been identified at three bathhouses located in Nam-gu and Buk-gu districts. Although the location of the bathhouse-related confirmed case on the 25th was not specified, the cumulative number of bathhouse-related confirmed cases this month is estimated to be around 30.

As of midnight on the 26th, Pohang has reported a total of 398 confirmed cases, with 276 of them diagnosed within the past month.

In response to this explosive increase in confirmed cases, Pohang City issued an administrative order on the 25th requiring 'at least one person per household' to undergo COVID-19 diagnostic testing starting from the 26th. Pohang is the first local government nationwide to mandate testing for at least one person per household.

Under this administrative order, residents of Dong-level areas in Pohang and Yeonil and Heunghae-eup must have at least one person per household undergo specimen testing between the 26th and 31st. Pohang City plans to impose a fine of approximately 100,000 won for those who fail to undergo testing by the 31st.

On the 25th, Mayor Lee Kang-deok held an emergency briefing and emphasized, "Due to the continuous occurrence of secondary infections within the region, which is expected to cause significant socio-economic damage, we have decided to issue this administrative order."

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