Seoul City Allows Up to 150 Mild and Asymptomatic COVID-19 Patients to Be Admitted
[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] Seoul City announced on the 3rd that starting from the 4th, it will establish and operate the 'Seoul Namsan Residential Treatment Center' to manage mild and asymptomatic patients confirmed with the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).
This center has been set up at the Seoul Youth Hostel located in Jung-gu, with a total of 50 rooms accommodating 100 people (in principle, 2 persons per room), and can accommodate up to 150 people (3 persons per room) depending on the situation.
The 'Seoul Taereung Residential Treatment Center,' which had been operating with 210 rooms at the Taereung Athletes' Village since March 16, ended its operation on the 3rd.
The city explained that in preparation for the prolonged COVID-19 situation and the need for continuous and stable operation of residential treatment centers, it established a new center at the Seoul Youth Hostel, a city-owned facility, coinciding with the closure of the Taereung Residential Treatment Center.
Previously, at the Taereung Center, an average of 98 personnel per day dedicated themselves 24 hours to managing and treating residents, with 213 patients from the Seoul area admitted, 191 of whom were discharged after being declared fully recovered (recovery rate of 89.6%).
The newly opened Namsan Residential Treatment Center will also have 47 professionals, including infectious disease specialists and nurses from Boramae Hospital, Seoul city employees, and fire and police personnel, stationed 24 hours a day to provide medical and living services to residents, similar to the previous Taereung Center.
In particular, the medical support team will operate a 'non-face-to-face medical system' using the video consultation support system of the Central Monitoring Center set up at Boramae Hospital and a mobile medical questionnaire application.
The operations management team will oversee all administrative aspects of the residential treatment center and be responsible for supporting services such as meals, necessary supplies, and parcel delivery. Additionally, police personnel will be stationed 24 hours a day to maintain order inside and outside the center.
The center's admission targets are mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 patients; however, high-risk groups such as those aged 65 or older, patients with chronic underlying diseases, severely obese individuals, pregnant women, dialysis patients, and transplant recipients are not eligible for admission.
Park Won-soon, Mayor of Seoul, stated, "As COVID-19 patients continue to occur in the metropolitan area, which shares a common living area, and there is a possibility of re-spread, the importance of residential treatment centers is increasing. We will do our best to ensure the speedy recovery of admitted patients."
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