Nurse Working in COVID-19 Patient Treatment Ward Tests Positive

In January, a notice related to the novel coronavirus infection was posted at Myongji Hospital in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] A nurse working in a ward for treating patients with the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) has tested positive.

According to Gyeonggi Province on the 26th, Nurse A (27, female), who works in the COVID-19 confirmed patient isolation ward at Myongji Hospital, was confirmed positive the day before and is currently isolated and receiving treatment at the same hospital. This hospital operates a government-designated negative pressure isolation ward in the northwestern Gyeonggi region.

The patient reportedly worked in the confirmed patient isolation ward until the 23rd. According to Gyeonggi Province, she is the 670th patient in the area and resides in Goyang City, where the hospital is located. It is known that she did not show any particular symptoms at the time of confirmation. Currently, the quarantine authorities and local governments are conducting epidemiological investigations regarding the infection route and contacts.

According to the quarantine authorities, as of the 21st, four medical staff members presumed to have been infected while treating COVID-19 confirmed patients were reported. All four were nurses from Busan, Daegu, and other areas.