Chinese Worker Concealed 'COVID-19 Positive' Status... 52 Infected in Nursing Hospital Cluster

43 Infected Individuals Have Completed Second Dose of Vaccine

Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] A man in his 60s from China concealed his COVID-19 positive status and was employed at a nursing hospital in Namyangju City, leading to a cluster infection of 52 people at the hospital.

According to the Yeongdeungpo Public Health Center in Seoul and the Pungyang Public Health Center in Namyangju City, from the 11th to the 13th, after one staff member at a nursing hospital located in Jinjeop-eup, Namyangju City, tested positive for COVID-19, a total of 52 users, staff, and caregivers were confirmed infected in a mass outbreak.

While health authorities are conducting an epidemiological investigation, it was revealed that a Chinese national, Mr. A, working at the hospital, tested positive for COVID-19 on the 7th but still started caregiving work.

Previously, he underwent a diagnostic test at the Yeongdeungpo Public Health Center in Seoul on the 5th and initially received a negative result, but after a retest the next day, he was informed of his positive status by phone on the 7th. However, when public health officials tried to contact him for epidemiological investigation, Mr. A turned off his phone and went into hiding.

Consequently, the Yeongdeungpo Public Health Center reported the case to the police and began locating Mr. A, who was later found to have gone to a nursing hospital located in Jinjeop-eup, Namyangju City, Gyeonggi Province.

He started caregiving work at the nursing hospital in Jinjeop-eup, Namyangju City, from the 7th. At the time of employment, Mr. A presented the negative test result he had received before his positive diagnosis to the nursing hospital to secure the job.

Subsequently, 52 people were infected in a cluster at the nursing hospital where Mr. A worked for five days. Among them, 43 had completed their second dose of vaccination, but many of the confirmed cases were elderly, and since vaccinations began earlier this year, it is predicted that their immunity may have somewhat declined.

Meanwhile, the nursing hospital has been placed under cohort isolation. Currently, health authorities are conducting an in-depth epidemiological investigation to confirm the details.