57 New COVID-19 Cases and 2 Deaths in Gyeongnam... 20 Infections Clustered at a Manufacturing Company in Haman (Comprehensive)

Kwon Yang-geun, Director of Welfare and Health Bureau, Gyeongnam Province.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Ju-cheol In] As of 5 p.m. on the 2nd, Gyeongsangnam-do announced that 57 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the province.

By region, there are 16 cases in Haman, 14 in Changwon, 9 in Gimhae, 4 each in Geoje and Geochang, 3 each in Jinju and Changnyeong, and 2 each in Yangsan and Goseong. Except for 2 confirmed cases in Changwon who arrived from the United States, all are locally transmitted infections.

Among the confirmed cases in Haman, 14, along with 4 in Changwon and 1 in Changnyeong, are related to a manufacturing company in Haman. After one employee of the Haman manufacturing company tested positive on the 1st, 152 employees and their families were tested, resulting in 19 additional confirmed cases.

Of the 19 additional confirmed cases, 18 are company employees and 1 is a family member. The health authorities estimate that the infections occurred through close contact while living together in the dormitory and in spaces where wearing masks was difficult, such as the smoking room and cafeteria. This brings the total number of confirmed cases related to the Haman manufacturing company to 20.

Among the confirmed cases in Jinju, one is related to a foreign acquaintance gathering, bringing the cumulative confirmed cases to 17.

Among the remaining confirmed cases, 26 had contact with confirmed cases within the province such as family, acquaintances, and coworkers, and 2 were infected through contact with confirmed cases from Gyeonggi and Busan, respectively. The infection routes of 7 cases are under investigation.

Earlier, the health authorities reported that two patients in their 60s and 80s, who were hospitalized at Gyeongsang National University Hospital and Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital respectively, passed away the previous afternoon.

Accordingly, the total cumulative confirmed cases in the province have increased to 10,089 (753 hospitalized, 9,305 discharged, 31 deceased).

Meanwhile, in preparation for the Chuseok holiday, the health authorities will operate temporary screening clinics at express bus terminals and highway rest areas. From the 3rd to the 30th, diagnostic testing will be conducted from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Changwon General Bus Terminal and Tongdosa Rest Area in the direction of Busan.

The health authorities explained that this measure is intended to encourage easy participation in preemptive testing along travel routes before and after Chuseok, to prepare for transmission infections caused by long-distance travel, and to minimize the spread of infections due to large-scale movement during the holiday period.

Kwon Yang-geun, Director of the Welfare and Health Bureau, said, "Although the daily average number of confirmed cases in the province has decreased to 56.4 over the past week, infections through contact among family, acquaintances, and coworkers continue. To achieve more stable quarantine management, the number of confirmed cases must be reduced, so we ask residents to participate in quarantine efforts based on autonomy and responsibility."

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