77 Confirmed Cases Including Elementary Students in Gyeongnam and US Forces in Korea (Comprehensive)

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Ju Cheol-in] Gyeongsangnam-do announced that as of 5 p.m. on the 7th, 77 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported.

By region, there are 26 cases in Changwon, 23 in Yangsan, 11 in Gimhae, 6 in Haman, 4 in Jinju, 2 each in Geoje and Goseong, and 1 each in Uiryeong, Sancheong, and Geochang. Excluding 3 U.S. military personnel who entered Korea and were confirmed in Changwon and 1 foreigner who entered from Italy and was confirmed in Jinju, all cases are considered local infections.

Gyeongsangnam-do stated that confirmed U.S. military personnel have been included in the case counts of the local governments where their units are located since last month, and that epidemiological investigations and hospital bed assignments are handled by military authorities.

Among the confirmed cases in Changwon, one person tested positive while in quarantine related to a manufacturing company in Haman. This brings the cumulative confirmed cases related to the Haman manufacturing company to 29.

Among the confirmed cases in Yangsan, 18 are related to local childcare and educational facilities. After a student at an elementary school in Yangsan tested positive on the 4th, another student at the same school was confirmed positive on the 5th.

On the 6th, three family members and seven students of the newly confirmed student, along with one staff member, tested positive. On the 7th, 13 kindergarten children, 7 family members, 1 elementary student, and 4 contacts at the kindergarten attended by the confirmed case’s sibling tested positive. The cumulative confirmed cases related to the elementary school in Yangsan now total 41.

The daycare centers and kindergartens where confirmed cases were found have been closed for two weeks from the 4th to the 17th. The elementary school is conducting remote classes for the affected grade from the 6th to the 17th, and for the other grades until the 10th. Based on the results of testing all students and staff, the education office will consult on whether to extend remote classes.

Gyeongsangnam-do has dispatched an immediate response team to conduct in-depth epidemiological investigations. Health authorities estimate that the main routes of infection are contact in childcare and educational facilities such as schools and kindergartens, where it is difficult to wear masks continuously during long hours of close contact, and contact among family members at home.

Among the confirmed cases in Jinju, one is related to a gathering of foreign acquaintances. This brings the cumulative confirmed cases to 19.

Of the remaining confirmed cases, 28 had contact with confirmed cases within the province such as family, acquaintances, and coworkers, and 5 were infected through contact with confirmed cases in the Seoul metropolitan area and Ulsan. The infection routes of 20 cases are under investigation.

Accordingly, the cumulative confirmed cases in the province have increased to a total of 10,395 (689 hospitalized, 9,675 discharged, 31 deceased).

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