Southwest Region Including Mokpo, Jeonnam Implements 'Pinset Quarantine'... Private Gatherings Limited to 4 People

Mokpo City Quarantine Strengthening Measures Meeting (Photo by Mokpo City, Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Tae-min] Jeonnam Province recently strengthened the restriction on the number of people allowed in private gatherings to 4 in Mokpo and the nearby cities and counties of Yeongam, Muan, and Naju, where COVID-19 is spreading.

On the 16th, Jeonnam Province held an emergency quarantine situation inspection meeting at Mokpo City Hall and decided to implement "tailored pinpoint quarantine measures by risk factors" throughout Mokpo City from the 17th to the 28th. In Mokpo, an average of 60 confirmed cases per day occurred over the past week, of which 70% were confirmed to be the Omicron variant. In particular, many confirmed cases have unknown infection routes, raising concerns about community spread.

First, a "citywide emergency stop campaign" will be carried out, including restrictions on the number of people in private gatherings. While private gatherings are limited to 6 people nationwide, Mokpo City, Muan County, Yeongam County, and Naju City will limit gatherings to 4 people from the 17th to February 6th. For religious events, Mokpo City allows up to 10% of the venue capacity but recommends conducting them online as much as possible.

PCR preemptive testing for high-risk facilities such as entertainment establishments, karaoke rooms, bathhouses, nursing hospitals and nursing facilities, and foreign workplaces will be expanded from once a week to twice a week. Rapid test kits needed for additional testing will be provided free of charge. PC rooms and arcades, which have seen increased visits during the school vacation, must follow the current ban on food consumption and also maintain "one seat apart" seating. Coastal fishing vessels must confirm the negative PCR test results of crew members when refueling before departure.

Public cultural and sports facilities such as exhibition halls, museums, and sports facilities will be temporarily closed entirely, and emergency childcare facilities for children will strengthen quarantine management, including mask-wearing, staff refraining from meeting outsiders, and preemptive testing for parents visiting from other regions. Entertainment establishments, karaoke rooms, and sports facilities with many confirmed cases will undergo special day and night inspections in cooperation with Mokpo City and the police.

A Jeonnam Province official said, "To prevent the spread of the Omicron variant in the southwestern region, epidemiological investigators and specimen collection personnel have been urgently dispatched to Mokpo City, and 150 beds at infectious disease-dedicated nursing hospitals have been rapidly expanded," adding, "Since Omicron spreads very quickly and transmission among family and acquaintances is common, meetings and events should be minimized even among family members."

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