Employee Working at Pain Center in Hospital Building 1, Basement Level 2 Confirmed Positive
Pain Center Closed and About 10 Employees Quarantined
On January 29, a hospital official and a security company employee are looking at each other through a closed door at the nationally designated inpatient treatment ward of Bundang Seoul National University Hospital in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, where the fourth confirmed patient of the novel coronavirus infection, known as "Wuhan pneumonia," is being treated. / Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon, Intern Reporter Lim Ju-hyung] At Bundang Seoul National University Hospital in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, which operates nationally designated inpatient treatment beds, one staff member tested positive for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), leading to the closure of some facilities within the hospital.
Seongnam Mayor Eun Soo-mi stated in a Facebook post on the 9th, "A Bundang Seoul National University Hospital employee residing in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, was tested at the Seongnam Central Hospital screening clinic at 5:30 p.m. on the 8th and received confirmation of infection at 9 a.m. on the 9th."
She added, "Epidemiologists and an epidemiological investigation team from Gyeonggi Province are currently conducting an investigation at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital."
The employee is known to have worked as a guide staff member on the second basement floor of Building 1 in the hospital's Pain Center. Accordingly, the Pain Center where the employee worked was closed around 9 a.m. that day, and outpatient services were also suspended.
The employee worked at the Pain Center until the 6th but did not come to work over the weekend (7th?8th) as the center was closed. After testing positive, the employee personally informed the hospital and is currently isolated and receiving treatment in a negative pressure room at the hospital.
Additionally, about 10 medical staff who worked with the employee at the Pain Center have all been quarantined.
Meanwhile, Bundang Seoul National University Hospital has approximately 1,330 beds and employs about 5,400 staff members, including around 400 specialists. The hospital also operates 9 nationally designated inpatient treatment beds.
The average number of outpatients per day was about 6,800, which decreased to around 4,000 after the spread of COVID-19.
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