Jeonbuk Province Reports Fifth COVID-19 Confirmed Case in the Region

Fourth Confirmed Patient's Husband Tests Positive, Son and Daughter-in-Law Test Negative

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Jeonbuk Province has formed an immediate response team and launched an in-depth epidemiological investigation into the movement paths and contacts following the confirmation that the husband of the province's fourth confirmed COVID-19 patient has been diagnosed as the fifth confirmed patient in the province.

On the 27th, Jeonbuk Province announced that B (73), the husband and close contact of A (70, female), who was confirmed as the fourth COVID-19 patient residing in the province, tested positive after being examined.

Currently, A is receiving isolated inpatient treatment at Wonkwang University Hospital, and B is hospitalized in isolation at Jeonbuk National University Hospital.

A's son and his wife were also tested and were confirmed negative; they are currently under self-quarantine in Gunsan.

Jeonbuk Province formed an immediate response team around 2 a.m. on the day B was confirmed positive and began an in-depth epidemiological investigation into movement paths and contacts, meticulously tracking the movements of the confirmed patient and family contacts.

The immediate response team is identifying contacts and movement paths through the confirmed patient's statements, credit card usage records, mobile phone location tracking, and CCTV analysis. Contacts will be placed under self-quarantine, and thorough disinfection will be conducted at visited facilities.

The investigation is ongoing to reconfirm statements from the confirmed patient and family, and the number of contacts is expected to be identified after the in-depth investigation.

Although the epidemiological investigation is still in progress, Jeonbuk Province plans to promptly inform residents of the identified movement paths to prevent confusion.

Additionally, for contacts of the confirmed patient already identified, self-quarantine is being enforced, and a dedicated public official will be assigned to each contact to check their health status twice daily.

Currently, the nationally designated negative pressure isolation rooms in the province are at Jeonbuk National University Hospital (5 rooms) and Wonkwang University Hospital (3 rooms), with one room remaining available at Jeonbuk National University Hospital.

Jeonbuk Province plans to continuously monitor bed availability to ensure smooth bed allocation, including transferring patients whose health is improving to isolation rooms at local medical centers.