79 Confirmed Cases in Gyeongnam... Changwon Issues Administrative Order for Twice-Weekly Diagnostic Testing at Infection-Vulnerable Facilities

Temporary Screening Clinic in Geochang.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] As of 5 p.m. on the 19th, Gyeongsangnam-do announced that 79 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported within the province.

By region, there are 18 cases in Gimhae, 16 in Changwon, 12 in Haman, 10 in Yangsan, 7 in Sacheon, 3 each in Jinju and Geoje, 2 each in Hamyang and Geochang, and 1 each in Tongyeong, Gimhae, Miryang, Goseong, Namhae, and Hadong. More than half of the total confirmed cases, 53 people, are local infections involving family and acquaintances.

Among the Gimhae confirmed cases, 8 are related to a foreign children care facility located in Gimhae. Seven are contacts of confirmed cases within the province, and 2 are contacts of confirmed cases from other regions.

One confirmed case in Changwon was infected through contact with a confirmed case from Seoul, and 12 cases are currently under investigation for their infection routes. One case is a contact of a confirmed case within the province, one was tested due to symptom onset, and one is related to Medical Institution II located in Changwon. This brings the total number of confirmed cases related to Medical Institution II in Changwon to 369.

Among the Haman confirmed cases, 9 are related to a local senior citizens' center gathering. After one confirmed case who used the senior center on the 18th was identified, an additional family member of the confirmed case was also diagnosed on the same day.

Haman County's quarantine authorities conducted comprehensive testing of senior center users and village residents, resulting in 9 new confirmed cases among senior center users on the 19th. The cumulative number of confirmed cases related to this senior center is now 11.

The quarantine authorities have temporarily closed this senior center and plan to consider expanding the closure of local senior centers depending on the results of contact testing and whether further transmission occurs. Two other confirmed cases in Haman are related to a local school, increasing the cumulative confirmed cases to 17.

Among the 7 confirmed cases in Sacheon, 5 are contacts of confirmed cases within the province: 3 are coworkers and 2 are acquaintances. Two cases were tested due to symptom onset, and their infection routes are under investigation.

Of the 3 confirmed cases in Jinju, one was exposed to the movement path of a confirmed case within the province. Two were tested due to symptom onset, and their infection routes are under investigation.

Among the 3 confirmed cases in Geoje, 2 are family members and movement path exposures of confirmed cases within the province. One was tested due to symptom onset, and the infection route is under investigation.

The 2 confirmed cases in Hamyang are related to a local acquaintance gathering and are family members. The cumulative number of confirmed cases related to the Hamyang acquaintance gathering is 55.

The 2 confirmed cases in Geochang were tested due to symptom onset and personal request, respectively, and their infection routes are under investigation.

One confirmed case each in Tongyeong and Miryang are family members of confirmed cases within the province.

One confirmed case in Goseong is an acquaintance of a confirmed case within the province. One confirmed case each in Namhae and Hadong are family members of confirmed cases within the province.

Accordingly, the cumulative number of confirmed cases in the province has increased to a total of 14,172 (701 hospitalized, 13,427 discharged, 44 deceased).

Meanwhile, Changwon City quarantine authorities have issued an administrative order starting from the 22nd requiring twice-weekly COVID-19 diagnostic testing for workers, managers, and operators at nursing hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, elderly residential welfare facilities, elderly medical welfare facilities, and home-based elderly welfare facilities, following an increase in confirmed cases due to a recent cluster infection at a local nursing hospital.

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