Jinju City Issues Administrative Order for At Least One COVID-19 Test Per Household in Sangdae-dong Residents

From the 23rd, diagnostic tests to be conducted for 3 days at 3 locations including bathhouses

Among 309 confirmed cases in March, 80% in Dodong area, 68% of Dodong cases in Sangdaedong

Unavoidable to create a safe living environment

Jinju-si Sangdae-dong Administrative Welfare Center Screening Clinic Site

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Jinju City, Gyeongnam Province, on the 22nd issued an administrative order for COVID-19 testing for at least one person per household among residents of Sangdae-dong, following the spread of a cluster infection originating from a sauna in Sangdae-dong.

Along with this, administrative orders for COVID-19 testing were also issued to employees and users of three other locations where multiple recent confirmed cases occurred: Boseongtang, Homeplus Sauna, and Building A in the Innovation City, excluding Pharos Health Sauna which has already completed mass testing.

The testing period under the administrative order is from March 23 to March 25, lasting three days. In particular, the city strongly encouraged all citizens to take COVID-19 diagnostic tests sequentially, with at least one person per household.

Analyzing the regional status of confirmed cases in March, the city reported that a total of 309 confirmed cases occurred up to the 21st of March, with 246 cases (80%) in the Dodong area. Among these, 167 cases (68% of Dodong cases) were residents of Sangdae-dong.

Although confirmed cases have occurred throughout Jinju over the past three weeks, the reason why more than half of the cases are concentrated in Sangdae-dong is because the cluster infections originated from Pharos Health Sauna, as well as Homeplus Sauna and Boseongtang, all located in Sangdae-dong.

As a result, contact with confirmed cases has already been widespread in the area, and the quarantine authorities estimate that there may be more untracked confirmed cases spreading through community transmission.

With the continuous occurrence of confirmed cases, the city judged that it is essential to conduct COVID-19 testing for all residents of Sangdae-dong to identify hidden cases, prevent further spread, and quickly create a safe environment for citizens.

Additionally, through COVID-19 situation briefings, the city repeatedly urged residents of Sangdae-dong and employees and users of bathhouses to undergo COVID-19 diagnostic testing, encouraging participation through multiple visits and phone calls.

Especially given the diverse symptoms depending on severity and the fact that over 50% of confirmed cases in Gyeongsangnam-do are asymptomatic, vigilance against potential community infections remains critical.

Confirmed cases have also been identified at three locations including Homeplus Sauna (8th floor EXR Sports Center Sauna), and employees, users, and visitors of these places are included in the mass testing and are currently undergoing diagnostic tests.

In this situation, the city appears to have issued the administrative order for COVID-19 testing for Sangdae-dong residents and the three bathhouse locations to facilitate a swift return to daily life for families, neighbors, and all citizens.

Furthermore, the city actively recommends that all citizens take free COVID-19 diagnostic tests sequentially with at least one person per household, explaining that mandatory testing is not enforced because realistically it would take over six months for all citizens to be tested, which would be ineffective given the nature of COVID-19.

Despite the administrative order for COVID-19 testing, those who refuse or fail to undergo testing within the designated period without valid reasons will be subject to a fine of up to 2 million KRW according to relevant laws. Additionally, if non-compliance leads to further spread of infection, the city plans to claim all related costs including quarantine expenses.

The city has set up temporary screening clinics at the Sangdae-dong Administrative Welfare Center and the Korea Polytechnic University Jinju Campus in Hadae-dong, providing free rapid and proactive testing for citizens until the 28th. Six private hospitals?Jeil Hospital, Goryeo Hospital, Bando Hospital, Bogum Hospital, Seran Hospital, and Hanil Hospital?are also supporting free testing for all citizens at their screening clinics.

A city quarantine official stated, “The administrative order for COVID-19 testing in Sangdae-dong and some bathhouses is an unavoidable measure to block community spread,” and appealed, “Please make sure to undergo testing by the 25th to protect yourself, your family, neighbors, and fellow citizens.”

Meanwhile, as of February this year based on resident registration, Sangdae-dong has 9,890 households and a population of 20,156.

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