98 Confirmed Cases in Gyeongnam... Infections Surge at Entertainment Bars, Large Marts, and Among Public Officials (Comprehensive)

Gyeongnam police are conducting a crackdown on entertainment establishments operating illegally.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Ju-cheol In] As of 5 p.m. on the 7th, Gyeongsangnam-do announced that 98 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported.

There are 37 cases in Changwon, 29 in Gimhae, 10 in Haman, 7 in Geoje, 4 in Tongyeong, 3 in Goseong, 4 in Jinju, 2 in Sacheon, and 1 each in Geoje, Gimhae, and Changnyeong.

Among the confirmed cases in Changwon, except for one woman who entered from Kazakhstan, the other 98 cases are locally transmitted infections.

Two confirmed cases in Changwon and one in Haman are related to a cluster infection centered around employees and customers at the Namchangwon Nonghyup Mart. This brings the total number of confirmed cases related to the Nonghyup Mart to 31.

The quarantine authorities stated that so far, 16,847 people have been tested in relation to the Nonghyup Mart, with 31 positive and 11,668 negative results.

Among the confirmed cases related to the Namchangwon Nonghyup Mart, one is a public official from Changwon City Hall. This is the first time a confirmed case has been reported among Changwon City Hall employees, excluding affiliated organizations such as towns, townships, and business offices.

Changwon City confirmed that this employee visited the office, the city hall cafeteria, and the rooftop smoking area, and therefore required all city hall employees to undergo COVID-19 testing. Of the approximately 1,200 city hall employees, about 1,000 were tested from the night of the previous day until the afternoon of the 7th.

The number of confirmed cases related to manufacturing in Changwon increased by one, totaling 31.

In Gimhae, among the 29 cases, a foreign woman in her 20s was classified as a confirmed case related to a Masan entertainment bar. This brings the total number of confirmed cases related to entertainment bars to 92.

The remaining confirmed cases in Gyeongnam were infected through contact with existing confirmed cases or are currently under investigation by the quarantine authorities to determine the infection route.

Accordingly, the cumulative number of confirmed cases in the province has increased to a total of 7,895 (1,080 hospitalized, 6,795 discharged, 20 deceased).

Kwon Yang-geun, Director of the Welfare and Health Bureau, said, "A lot of movement by residents is expected over the weekend," and repeatedly urged, "During this vacation season, please wisely stay at home rather than traveling long distances or meeting with family and acquaintances."

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