Iksan City Reviews Claim for Damages Against 'Daejeon Patient No. 74' for Non-Cooperation in Epidemiological Investigation

Strong Response Including Legal Consultation and Damage Assessment

Photo by Iksan City Provided

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hong Jae-hee] Iksan City, Jeonbuk, has decided to consider claiming damages from a confirmed COVID-19 patient who caused significant damage to the region by not cooperating with the epidemiological investigation.

On the 6th, the city announced that it confirmed circumstances where Daejeon patient number 74 gave false statements about their movement, causing enormous damage to quarantine activities, leading to this decision.

In this regard, the city is proceeding with calculating the amount of damages for the claim with legal advice from lawyers. The claimed amount is expected to reach 160 million KRW for testing costs for 114 people, excluding compensation for mental damages.

On the 21st of last month, Iksan’s 4th confirmed patient visited the health center and mentioned visiting Daejeon, but since Daejeon patient number 74 did not disclose this, the patient was unable to undergo testing and self-quarantine, continuing daily life until the 25th of last month.

As a result, the city suffered significant damage, including budget burdens for testing 114 contacts according to the confirmed patient’s movements, as well as damage to its image for not properly testing the reporter.

Accordingly, the city plans to file a lawsuit applying relevant laws such as the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act.

Mayor Jeong Heon-yul said, “Due to the Daejeon confirmed patient, great harm was caused to the employees and citizens who worked hard for months to block the spread of COVID-19,” adding, “This incident has raised awareness, and we will respond strongly to prevent recurrence.”