32 COVID-19 Test Kits Stolen from Busan Hospital... Absurd Theft Incident Involving a Woman in Her 70s

Nambu Police Station Arrests Elderly Woman for Stealing Diagnostic Kits from Suyeong-gu General Hospital, All Items Recovered

A fully stocked specimen collection kit storage rack at the screening clinic.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] An absurd incident occurred in Busan where a diagnostic kit, after collecting a COVID-19 specimen, was stolen by a woman in her 70s.

If the kit containing the confirmed patient's specimen was stolen, it means the COVID-19 virus could have been released externally.

According to the Busan Police Agency and Suyeong District on the 13th, at around 6:20 PM on the 12th, 32 COVID-19 diagnostic kits stored in front of the entrance of an emergency room at a general hospital in Suyeong District disappeared.

The missing kits had completed specimen collection for COVID-19 that day and were scheduled to be collected by a diagnostic testing company at 9 PM that evening.

After receiving the hospital's report, the Busan Southern Police Station judged the matter to be serious and dispatched a strong investigation team.

The police immediately began analyzing CCTV footage and found Ms. A (female, in her 70s) putting the kits into a plastic bag.

After tracking Ms. A's movements, she was apprehended at her home at around 6:10 AM on the 13th. Fortunately, all the specimen kits she took were recovered from her residence.

Ms. A reportedly stated, "I don't remember well." The police are investigating the motive for taking the specimen kits and the hospital's circumstances regarding the loss.

Thanks to the police's swift response, the specimen kits were safely recovered, but there are criticisms about the hospital's lax management.

Experts expressed concerns that the virus could be on the outside of the container storing the kits, and if the storage container were broken, the virus could be released into the air.

The Suyeong District Public Health Center plans to conduct an on-site investigation of the hospital and decide on administrative measures.

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