31 Jeonnam Students Confirmed COVID-19 Positive, 'Emergency'

Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education Implements Emergency Measures for Cluster Infections in Suncheon and Gwangyang

Superintendent Jang Seok-woong held an urgent non-face-to-face briefing in the press room on the second floor of the government building that afternoon and took measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infections. Photo by Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jun-kyung] A cluster infection of COVID-19 among students in the eastern region has occurred in the Suncheon and Gwangyang areas of Jeollanam-do, causing frontline schools and education authorities to be on high alert.

According to the Jeollanam-do Office of Education on the 6th, following the infection of 10 students in Suncheon and 3 students in Gwangyang from September 3 to 5, 18 students at a middle school in Gwangyang were simultaneously confirmed positive on the morning of the 6th.

As a result of testing all 508 students and staff at the school, no additional infections beyond these were found.

The Jeollanam-do Office of Education has switched all schools in the Gwangyang area, except for third-year high school students, to remote classes and requested students and their families to refrain from movement.

They also expanded testing to include families of confirmed cases, academy attendees, and all schools in Gwangyang, while strengthening quarantine inspections and lifestyle guidance for academies, dormitories, and multi-use facilities.

The Gwangyang Area Academy Association decided to close all academies for one week starting from that day and will consider extending the closure depending on additional infection developments.

The Jeollanam-do Office of Education formed an emergency response team led by Education Director Wi Kyung-jong on-site in Gwangyang, while operating a continuous monitoring system with quarantine authorities and the education support office, significantly enhancing monitoring. They also urgently provided disinfection and quarantine supplies to educational sites in Suncheon and Gwangyang and planned to implement thorough quarantine measures for all schools in the eastern region of Jeollanam-do, including nearby areas.

On the afternoon of the same day, Superintendent Jang Seok-woong held a non-face-to-face emergency briefing in the second-floor press room of the government building and announced measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infections.

Superintendent Jang stated, “Since the start of the second semester, the concern over cluster infections, which arose as confirmed cases gradually increased mainly in the eastern region of Jeollanam-do, has become a reality. This is a time when urgent and strict measures are necessary to prevent further spread.”

He added, “We will maintain a strong cooperative system with related organizations such as Jeollanam-do Provincial Government and conduct thorough quarantine to protect educational sites from COVID-19.”

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