Gyeongnam Province Issues Ban on Gatherings at Entertainment Venues Amid Surge in COVID-19 Cases in Jinju and Geoje

Citizens are lining up and waiting their turn to get tested for COVID-19 at the screening clinic set up in Geoje Gymnasium.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] As COVID-19 cases surged at saunas in Jinju and entertainment facilities in Geoje, Gyeongnam Province took measures including banning gatherings at entertainment venues and adding hospital beds.

According to Gyeongnam Province and quarantine authorities on the 15th, after a bathhouse worker in the Okpo area of Geoje was first confirmed positive on the 13th, four family members and bathhouse users tested positive, and during contact tracing tests, 22 more cases were confirmed on the same day.

During an in-depth epidemiological investigation, Geoje city quarantine authorities confirmed that a confirmed case who visited the bathhouse was employed at an entertainment establishment, and proactively tested workers at local entertainment venues. So far, the cumulative number of confirmed cases related to Geoje entertainment establishments is 27. Additionally, 17 more cases related to the Jinju sauna were confirmed on the same day, bringing the total number of patients to 168.

Gyeongnam Province dispatched an immediate response team to Geoje to conduct an in-depth epidemiological investigation. Furthermore, an administrative order banning gatherings for two weeks starting from 6 p.m. on the same day was issued for 565 entertainment venues in the Geoje area, including entertainment bars, danran bars, emotional pubs, colatecs, hunting pochas, as well as holdem pubs and karaoke rooms.

Regarding hospital beds for treating COVID-19 patients in the province, if all 53 patients confirmed on the day are admitted, 299 beds will be in use, leaving 207 beds available. Accordingly, 59 additional beds at Masan Medical Center will be secured, increasing the total to 565 beds starting from the 16th.

Gyeongnam Province plans to strengthen its response system step-by-step by adding patient treatment beds and residential treatment centers, considering the trend of confirmed cases and bed occupancy rates.

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