‘COVID-19 Surge’ in Sejong City, Daily Preventive Measures Recommended

Sejong City has urged the public to make adherence to daily quarantine rules a habitual practice. This recommendation comes in light of the recent increase in COVID-19 cases nationwide.

According to Sejong City on the 6th, the national average daily number of confirmed COVID-19 cases (cumulative) rose from 17,000 in the fourth week of June to 45,000 in the fourth week of July.

It has been identified that a significant portion of the recently increased confirmed cases includes high-risk groups, particularly elderly individuals aged 60 and above.

Health authorities cite causes for the rise in COVID-19 cases such as reinfections due to the waning of antibodies acquired through vaccination and an increase in symptomatic individuals not getting tested following the lifting of isolation requirements.

Additionally, factors such as not wearing masks, insufficient ventilation during summer air conditioning, and weakened compliance with preventive measures are also pointed out as major contributors.

However, health authorities acknowledge that although the number of confirmed cases is currently on the rise, the XXB variant of the coronavirus currently spreading has a low rate of severe illness and fatality. Considering the accumulated medical response capabilities, they judge that managing confirmed cases is feasible.

In this regard, Sejong City urges citizens to incorporate quarantine rules into their daily lives.

First, as summer vacation season leads to increased interregional movement and face-to-face contact, mask-wearing is recommended in ‘3Cs (Closed spaces, Crowded places, Close-contact settings)’ such as festival venues, public transportation, and multi-use facilities.

Furthermore, for those confirmed with COVID-19, considering the risk of cluster transmission and infection of high-risk groups within households, a 5-day isolation period should be maintained. High-risk groups such as elderly individuals aged 60 and above and residents of nursing hospitals and facilities are advised to take oral antiviral treatments early after confirmation to reduce the risk of severe illness.

Yang Wansik, Director of the Health and Welfare Bureau of Sejong City, stated, “In addition to the increase in COVID-19 cases, respiratory infectious diseases such as influenza are continuously occurring differently from previous years.” He added, “We ask for active participation in making daily quarantine rules a habitual practice to prevent a resurgence of COVID-19.”

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