Wanju-gun, "Not a Single Death Related to COVID-19"

The Claim of Highest Cumulative Deaths Is Incorrect... Efforts Underway to Correct Errors

[Wanju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kim Han-ho] Wanju County announced on the 5th that there have been no COVID-19 related deaths so far, and the statistics claiming that the cumulative death rate is the highest in the country are incorrect.

According to Wanju County, since the first confirmed case in Korea occurred in January last year, the county's cumulative number of COVID-19 confirmed cases as of midnight on this day is a total of 206.

This accounts for about 4.4% of the total confirmed cases in Jeonbuk Province (4,643 cases).

Compared to Wanju County's population proportion (5.1% of Jeonbuk), the percentage of confirmed cases is even lower.

In particular, it has been identified that among the cumulative confirmed cases in Wanju County, there has been not a single death so far.

Currently, 11 people are undergoing treatment, and the remaining 195 people (94.6%) have already recovered and been discharged, according to Wanju County.

The official data from Jeonbuk Province on the ‘COVID-19 Deaths by City/County’ also shows that the total number of deaths in Jeonbuk is 61, and there have been no deaths in Wanju County.

There are six local governments with no deaths, including Wanju County, Namwon City, Jinan County, Jangsu County, Imsil County, and Buan County.

However, recent National Assembly audit data analyzed that Wanju County had the highest cumulative COVID-19 death rate per 100,000 population in the country at 111.5.

In response, Wanju County stated that this is incorrect statistics.

A health center official from the county said, “Saying that the cumulative COVID-19 death rate in Wanju County is 111.5 per 100,000 population means that 122.2 people out of the current population of 91,223 died from COVID-19,” adding, “It is incomprehensible how such statistical analysis came out when our cumulative confirmed cases are about 200.”

He continued, “The incorrect statistics have damaged the county’s image and left employees disheartened, so we are working to correct the error.”

Wanju=Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kim Han-ho stonepeak@asiae.co.kr