Changwon Health Center Operates Emergency Quarantine System in Preparation for Lunar New Year Holiday

Increase in Norovirus Infections and Respiratory Infectious Diseases During Winter Season

Changwon Health Center in Changwon Special City, Gyeongnam, will advance the operation of the emergency quarantine system before the Lunar New Year holiday, considering that norovirus infections have reached the highest level in the past five years and various respiratory infectious diseases such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections are spreading.

Jung Hye-jeong, director of Changwon Health Center, is explaining.

According to the hospital-level ministerial infectious disease sentinel surveillance operated by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the number of norovirus infection patients was 360 in the second week of January, the highest in the past five years. Considering that the peak epidemic period in the past (third week of January to fourth week of February) has not yet arrived, the epidemic is expected to continue for some time.

The number of hospitalized patients with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections has been increasing over the past four weeks, mainly occurring among infants and young children (0?6 years old), requiring continuous monitoring and response.

When the emergency quarantine system is implemented, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and health institutions nationwide will organize the reporting and contact system uniformly, maintain a 24-hour emergency contact network, and conduct activities such as promoting preventive measures and encouraging active reporting targeting local healthcare institutions, pharmacies, childcare facilities, and daycare centers.

Jung Hye-jeong, director of Changwon Health Center, said, “For prompt response, if two or more people show gastrointestinal symptoms (vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, etc.) or if one or more patients with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection occur, they must immediately report to the nearest health center,” adding, “It is essential to strictly follow personal hygiene rules such as proper handwashing and cough etiquette.”