Gyeongju and Pohang Continue Community Infections... 7 Confirmed Cases at Pohang Hyu Nursing Hospital

20 Infected in Gyeongju, 23 in Pohang Over Past 13 Days
As of Midnight on 25th, Cumulative Confirmed Cases in Gyeongbuk Reach 1,488

An ambulance is parked in front of Huyo Rehabilitation Hospital in Pohang, Gyeongbuk on the 24th. Pohang City recently decided to transfer some patients to other hospitals due to a large number of confirmed cases occurring at this hospital.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Dong-wook] Residents in Gyeongju and Pohang, Gyeongbuk, continue to test positive for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) day after day.

This phenomenon appeared after infection cases related to the Chilgok Wild Ginseng (Jangnoe-sam) business briefing were confirmed in both cities on the 11th. In the past 13 days, 43 residents (20 in Gyeongju, 23 in Pohang) in the two local governments have been confirmed positive.

According to Gyeongbuk Province on the 25th, as of midnight, the cumulative number of confirmed cases in the Gyeongbuk area increased by 6 from the previous day to 1,488. Four residents tested positive the previous day: one in Gyeongju and three in Pohang. The other two are in their 20s from Uzbekistan who entered Mungyeong City.

In Gyeongju, a person in their 60s who showed cold and pneumonia symptoms visited the Gyeongju Public Health Center on the 23rd and was tested for COVID-19, resulting in a positive diagnosis. The infection route of this confirmed case is still unknown.

The three new confirmed cases in the Pohang area are two women in their 80s and one woman in her 70s hospitalized at Huyo Nursing Hospital in Jangryang-dong, Buk-gu. This brings the cumulative confirmed cases in Pohang to 83. According to epidemiological investigations, the new confirmed cases used the same floor as patient number 74 during the COVID-19 mass testing conducted by health authorities on the 23rd.

At Huyo Nursing Hospital, a woman in her 50s (patient number 74) who was discharged from Semyung Christian Hospital on the 21st and then admitted was confirmed positive. Patient number 74 was found to have had contact with patient number 66, the first death in the region, during the hospitalization process at Semyung Christian Hospital. Subsequently, four patients who used the same room were confirmed positive, and with three additional infections on this day, seven people have been confirmed positive at this hospital alone.

Health authorities are conducting mass COVID-19 testing on about 260 medical staff and inpatients at this hospital. Except for the 5th floor, which is under cohort isolation, about 50 patients in the 3rd-floor ward will be transferred to other facilities in the area.