Gyeongnam Province Reports Another Case of UK Variant Virus... Sacheon Karaoke Bar and Overseas Entry Cases

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Saeyan] Eight additional confirmed cases of the UK variant virus have been identified in the Gyeongnam region.

Gyeongsangnam-do announced that, based on genetic analysis of COVID-19 confirmed cases in the province since April 27, a total of eight cases of the UK variant virus were newly confirmed: seven local transmission cases and one overseas entry case.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH) is continuously expanding variant virus analysis to monitor the introduction of variant viruses into the community, and has additionally conducted variant virus testing on confirmed cases related to a restaurant in Sacheon and other individual cases.

As a result of the tests, excluding the two previously confirmed UK variant cases related to the Sacheon restaurant, five more cases were confirmed, along with one case related to a Sacheon entertainment bar, one case related to other regions, and one overseas entry case, all confirmed to have the UK variant virus.

Thus, the cumulative number of confirmed UK variant virus infections in the province to date is 27, including six overseas entry cases and 21 local transmission cases.

Ninety-six confirmed cases who had contact with variant virus-infected individuals (including 39 contacts of previously confirmed variant virus cases) were epidemiologically classified as variant virus infection cases, as no other sources of infection were identified. The CDCH explained that all of these can be considered variant virus infections.

The province is isolating all overseas entry confirmed cases in single rooms to prevent the spread of the variant virus.

Additionally, contacts of confirmed cases with variant virus infection must undergo a release test before ending self-quarantine, and active monitoring individuals are strongly recommended to be tested before the end of their active monitoring period.