"Decrease in COVID-19 Patients"... Government to Reduce Dedicated Infectious Disease Hospitals

As of 0:00 on the 23rd, 8 new patients reported... "Below 20 for 6 consecutive days"
Adjusting infectious disease dedicated hospitals step-by-step to accept general patients

Park Neung-hoo, the 1st Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of Health and Welfare, left), is speaking while presiding over the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on the response to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) held at the Government Sejong Complex in Sejong City on the morning of the 23rd. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting, which Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun used to preside over daily, will be presided over twice a week by Minister Park starting from this day.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] As the number of patients isolated and treated for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) has decreased compared to before, the government has decided to gradually reduce the number of infectious disease dedicated hospitals. Currently, about 60 hospitals are designated exclusively for treating COVID-19 patients, but with fewer new patients and an increasing number of recoveries and discharges, it is judged that there is now some capacity available.

Park Neung-hoo, the 1st Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters for COVID-19 (Minister of Health and Welfare), said before the meeting on the 23rd, "Recently, the number of isolated patients has decreased, causing the bed occupancy rate in some hospitals to drop somewhat," adding, "Due to concerns about gaps in medical care for general patients, we will discuss step-by-step adjustments to the currently operating infectious disease dedicated hospitals."

In the case of COVID-19, even in the early stages of infection, transmission to surrounding people was high, raising concerns about in-hospital infections. Health authorities also found it difficult to manage infections within medical institutions, so they designated separate dedicated hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients. As of the 7th, 67 hospitals were designated, securing about 7,400 beds. As of the previous day, there were about 2,200 patients under isolation treatment, and considering that a significant number of them are receiving treatment in residential treatment centers, many beds have recently been vacant.

On the morning of the 23rd, at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting for COVID-19 response held at the Government Complex Sejong in Sejong City, Park Neung-hoo, the 1st Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of Health and Welfare), is wearing the 'Thanks to You' badge created to boost the morale of medical staff dedicated to the medical field.

According to related guidelines, severe patients are treated in nationally designated negative pressure isolation beds, moderately severe patients are treated in infectious disease dedicated hospitals, and mild patients are admitted to residential treatment centers. The government's decision to adjust infectious disease hospitals step-by-step is to maintain a certain level of vigilance while using quarantine resources efficiently.

Meanwhile, 8 new confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported on this day, maintaining below 20 cases for six consecutive days since the 18th. Although the decline in new confirmed cases has slowed and the quarantine measures have shown some results, Park emphasized that it is still not the time to lower the guard. He said, "Two months ago, on February 19, there were only 20 new confirmed cases, but five days later, it rose to 207, and ten days later, on the 29th, it increased to 909," adding, "Due to the nature of COVID-19, a large-scale outbreak can occur at any time."

He continued, "I hope everyone will participate in social distancing by refraining from unnecessary gatherings and appointments until the 5th of next month," emphasizing, "Establishing and maintaining a daily quarantine system is the task that remains for us going forward."