[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Jucheol In] As of 5 p.m. on the 17th, Gyeongnam Province announced that a total of 23 confirmed cases occurred: 12 in Changwon, 3 in Jinju, 3 in Yangsan, 2 in Geoje, 2 in Gimhae, and 1 in Sacheon.
In Changwon, two men in their 40s and one man in his 20s tested positive and were classified as cases 1719, 1720, and 1722. Additionally, a woman in her 30s with an unknown infection route, two men and women in their 40s, a woman in her 60s, a man in his 20s, and two men and women in their 30s tested positive and were classified as cases 1715, 1716, 1723, 1728, 1729, 1735, and 1736. Two people in their 50s, family members of case 1729, also tested positive and were classified as cases 1731 and 1732.
Notably, cases 1715 and 1716 were confirmed to be workers at a nursing hospital in Changwon. This hospital will enter cohort quarantine starting on the 18th.
In Jinju, two people in their 80s with unknown infection routes tested positive and were classified as cases 1717 and 1721. One additional confirmed case related to the Jinju International Prayer Center was reported. A woman in her 50s, a family member of the confirmed case, tested positive during self-quarantine and was classified as case 1727.
In Yangsan, two people in their 50s and one man in his 70s with unknown infection routes tested positive and were classified as cases 1733, 1734, and 1737.
In Geoje, two foreign men in their 40s who entered from France and Russia respectively tested positive and were classified as cases 1724 and 1725.
In Gimhae, a teenage male with an unknown infection route tested positive and was classified as case 1718.
A male colleague in his 30s of case 1718 also tested positive and was classified as case 1730.
In Sacheon, a man in his 40s with an unknown infection route tested positive and was classified as case 1726.
Accordingly, the cumulative number of confirmed cases in the province increased to 1,734 (283 hospitalized, 1,445 discharged, 6 deceased).
In Gyeongnam, the ban on private gatherings of five or more people remains in effect due to the two-week extension of social distancing level 2.
However, cafes are allowed to serve dine-in customers until 9 p.m., and religious facilities are permitted to hold in-person services such as regular worship, mass, Buddhist ceremonies, and memorial services with up to 20% seating capacity.
Shin Jong-woo, Director of the Provincial Welfare and Health Bureau, stated, "Voluntary compliance with quarantine rules by businesses such as multi-use facilities is important," and added, "If a cluster infection occurs due to violation of quarantine rules, we plan to implement a higher level of administrative measures for the same type of business in that area."
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