Naju-si Holds Emergency Countermeasure Meeting for COVID-19 Resurgence

[Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong] Naju City, Jeollanam-do, has taken steps to establish urgent quarantine measures, including preemptive protective actions for infection-vulnerable facilities such as nursing hospitals, in preparation for the resurgence of COVID-19.

The city announced on the 21st that on the 20th, it held an 'Emergency Countermeasure Meeting for the COVID-19 Resurgence' with medical and educational institutions, chaired by Deputy Mayor Kang Young-gu in the health center director's office.

The countermeasure meeting was organized to share the current status of confirmed cases and institutional responses amid the resurgence of COVID-19 variants 'Omicron' and 'BA.5', and to discuss ways to strengthen quarantine measures focusing on infection-vulnerable facilities.

About 20 officials from various institutions attended the meeting, including Naju Deputy Mayor Kang Young-gu, General Affairs Director Na Sang-in, Safety and Urban Construction Director Lee Jung-guk, Health Center Director Seo Hyun-seung, Health and Meal Support Team Leader Hwang Su-ja from the Education Support Office, Medical Association President Kim Deok, Pharmacists Association President Lee Young-tae, and Bitgaram General Hospital Director Oh Kyung-gyu, among others.

According to the health center's confirmed case statistics, 927 new COVID-19 cases were recorded this month (as of the 20th). Among them, 35 were reinfections, which have been steadily occurring since the 10th.

In particular, the number of confirmed cases has been rapidly increasing since the second week of July.

During the week from the 14th to the 20th, the number of confirmed cases was 545, an increase of 267 cases (96%) compared to the previous week. The daily average number of confirmed cases reached 77.

The 'infection reproduction number' (Rt), an indicator of the resurgence trend, fell to 0.52 in the fourth week of June but has risen for three consecutive weeks since then. As of the 19th, the infection reproduction number recorded 1.53, indicating an accelerating resurgence.

The infection reproduction number quantifies how many people one patient infects around them. A value above 1 means the epidemic is spreading, while below 1 means it is being suppressed.

Deputy Mayor Kang Young-gu requested active cooperation from local medical institutions to prepare for a surge in confirmed cases by expanding one-stop medical institutions capable of both face-to-face and non-face-to-face consultations and prescriptions, and securing hospital beds.

Key indicators such as the number of confirmed and deceased cases and vaccination rates by infection-vulnerable facilities will be continuously monitored, and a dedicated response organization will be operated to ensure immediate action in case of cluster infections through on-site inspections.

Additionally, the city plans to encourage the fourth dose of vaccination for those aged 50 and above and adults with underlying conditions, and to reduce severity and fatality rates by administering and supplying oral antiviral treatments to high-risk infected individuals.

In line with the summer vacation season, the city will also focus on promoting daily quarantine rules such as mask-wearing, handwashing, and ventilation to spread a voluntary quarantine atmosphere based on citizen participation.

Deputy Mayor Kang Young-gu of Naju said, “In response to the COVID-19 resurgence, we will do our best to protect citizens' health by establishing an organic system among institutions, strengthening quarantine rules for high-risk groups, and practicing voluntary social distancing.”

Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong baekok@asiae.co.kr