Number of Patients With Abnormal Symptoms After Gangneung Medical Procedures Rises by 4 to 12, Including 1 Death

The medical institution in Gangneung, where the number of deaths and symptomatic patients after waist procedures has increased to a total of 12, is announcing a temporary closure. Yonhap News

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Health authorities have launched an epidemiological investigation after abnormal symptoms were reported among patients who underwent procedures for back pain relief at a medical institution in Gangneung, Gangwon Province. The investigation has revealed the presence of additional symptomatic cases.

According to Gangwon Province and Gangneung city health authorities on August 6, a health assessment was conducted on 269 individuals who received the same procedure within the past two weeks. As of 6 p.m. on August 5, a total of four people?three in Gangneung and one in Seoul?were confirmed to be hospitalized.

As a result, the total number of patients who developed severe symptoms such as intense pain, headache, decreased consciousness, or fever after receiving pain relief nerve block or similar back procedures at the institution has increased to 12.

The four newly identified symptomatic cases were self-reported. Health authorities plan to conduct epidemiological investigations on these four hospitalized patients. In addition, they intend to significantly expand monitoring to include all patients who underwent procedures at the medical institution since July 1, raising the possibility that the number of symptomatic cases may increase further.

Meanwhile, on July 28, a report was filed with the Gangneung Public Health Center regarding abnormal symptoms among multiple patients who had received back pain relief procedures at a medical institution in Gangneung. In response, the Gangwon Province Infectious Disease Control Support Group, Gangneung City, and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency formed an epidemiological investigation team and launched an inquiry.

An electron microscope image of multidrug-resistant MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) magnified 20,000 times. Captured by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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The investigation found that eight people exhibited abnormal symptoms. Of these, two are in intensive care, three are hospitalized in general wards, two have been discharged, and one has died. Most of these patients tested positive for Staphylococcus aureus in their blood or cerebrospinal fluid.

Staphylococcus aureus, which has a grape-like cluster appearance, is a bacterium commonly found in nature. It is normally present in healthy individuals, such as inside the nose or under the arms, but can cause a variety of symptoms if an infection occurs.

First, toxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus can cause food poisoning, and medical infections may also occur, especially during invasive procedures. Due to its relatively high virulence, there is a risk of progression to severe infection.

Staphylococcus aureus is classified as either MSSA (Methicillin-Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus) or MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus), depending on its susceptibility to methicillin antibiotics. In the Gangneung cases, MSSA was detected. While MRSA, which is difficult to treat due to antibiotic resistance, is designated as a Class 4 notifiable infectious disease and subject to sentinel surveillance, MSSA is not, making it difficult to track its prevalence.

According to Yonhap News, Professor Eom Joong-sik of the Infectious Diseases Department at Gachon University Gil Medical Center explained, "Staphylococcus aureus is commonly found in the natural and everyday environment, but if it enters sterile areas such as blood, cerebrospinal fluid, bones, or deep muscle tissue, it can cause disease."

He added, "MRSA has lower virulence but is difficult to treat with antibiotics, while MSSA is easier to treat if detected early, though its virulence can be relatively higher. Even with MSSA, if detection is delayed and treatment is not started promptly, the effectiveness of treatment may decrease, especially in elderly patients or those with weakened immune systems or underlying conditions."

Although medical infections caused by contaminated surgical instruments are on the decline, they continue to occur. The epidemiological investigation team is identifying risk factors for infection at the medical institution by interviewing medical staff about injectable drugs and procedure preparation processes. They are also collecting samples from the procedure room environment, equipment, and staff to determine any epidemiological links to medical infection.

Tests conducted by the Provincial Institute of Health and Environment also detected Staphylococcus aureus among staff and in the environment of the medical institution. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency has been asked to conduct genetic analyses to further confirm any causal relationship with the institution.

The medical institution has been closed since August 1. Health authorities are also investigating possible violations of medical law and will consider administrative action against the hospital based on the results of the epidemiological investigation.

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