Muan-gun, 21 Elementary School Students Infected in Group 'High Alert'

Published 06 Jan.2022 11:44(KST)

On the morning of the 6th, vehicles are waiting to be tested at the Muan County Health Center. ? Asia Economy

[Muan＝Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Oh Hwan-joo] Twenty-one people at Muan Elementary School in Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, have been collectively infected with COVID-19, putting quarantine authorities on high alert.

On the 6th, according to the county, in addition to conducting thorough testing of the families of Muan Elementary School students, two additional screening clinics were set up in Muan-eup to accommodate residents who wish to be tested.

The county confirmed in the early morning of the 6th that 21 additional infections were identified from the results of comprehensive testing conducted on about 600 students and staff of Muan Elementary School on the 5th.

This cluster infection is presumed to have originated from a family confirmed positive on the 5th. Relatives Muan No. 294 and Muan No. 296 visited a hospital in Gwangju on the 4th for medical treatment of No. 294 and underwent rapid antigen tests, after which No. 294 tested positive.

Including family members living together in Muan, four people were tested, and Nos. 294, 296, and 295, the child of No. 296, were sequentially confirmed positive on the 5th.

Subsequently, including the younger sibling of No. 295 and one staff member, 21 confirmed cases were reported in the early morning of the 6th.

Nos. 295 and the younger sibling attend Muan Elementary School, raising concerns. Muan-gun has begun a thorough investigation of the families of Muan Elementary School students and established screening clinics at the county office and Seungdal Culture and Arts Center so that any resident of Muan-eup who wishes can receive a COVID-19 test.

The Seungdal Culture and Arts Center started testing from 10 a.m. on the 6th and operates until 5 p.m., while the Muan-gun Public Health Center screening clinic accepts tests until 6 p.m.

A Muan-gun official said, “We apologize for the cluster infection. Residents who wish to be tested should visit the screening clinics,” and urged, “Please strictly observe personal hygiene and social distancing.”

Meanwhile, in addition to the 21 cases from the Muan Elementary School cluster, three more confirmed cases were added in the early morning of the 6th, indicating a sharp rise in community spread of COVID-19. Since the new year, Muan has reported a total of 43 confirmed cases: 1 on the 1st, 2 on the 2nd, 6 on the 3rd, 1 on the 4th, 9 on the 5th, and 24 as of 8 a.m. on the 6th.