Dozens of Visitors at Hongcheon Water Playground Complain of Vomiting and Abdominal Pain... County Conducts Epidemiological Investigation

Hongcheon-gun Opens Water Playground Before Water Quality Test Results Released

Hongcheon Water Park Opened on the 1st [Hongcheon-gun]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-cheol] Dozens of residents and children who used the water playground operated by Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon Province, collectively experienced vomiting and abdominal pain and received hospital treatment.

Hongcheon-gun requested an external environmental research institute to conduct a water quality test before opening the water playground, but it was revealed that the playground was opened without receiving the final results.

The water playground has been temporarily closed, and the anxiety of visitors who used the playground continues.

According to Hongcheon-gun on the 5th, more than 30 residents and children who used the water playground in Yeonbong-ri, Hongcheon-eup, on the 3rd reported abnormal symptoms such as vomiting and high fever to the county office.

It has been identified that a total of about 2,600 people visited the water playground over the weekend starting from the 1st.

Hongcheon-gun has launched an epidemiological investigation by requesting water quality and virus tests from the Health and Environment Research Institute.

Hongcheon-gun suspects that norovirus may have spread in the water playground, as the residents' symptoms are similar to food poisoning.

At the pediatric department of Hongcheon Hospital, patients with similar symptoms continued throughout the day from early morning.

Hongcheon-gun stated, "We will collect specimens from patients to accurately identify the infectious agent and prepare measures to prevent recurrence."