Rather than excessive anxiety, now is the time for small practical measures

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] The Gyeonggi Province COVID-19 Emergency Task Force (co-heads Lee Hee-young and Lim Seung-gwan) announced on the 13th at 0 a.m. that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Gyeonggi Province is 185 cases (7,979 nationwide). This is an increase of 6 cases from 0 a.m. the previous day. The number of confirmed cases per 1 million population is 13.5, ranking 12th nationwide.

Lee Hee-young, co-head of the Gyeonggi Province COVID-19 Emergency Task Force and professor of the Public Healthcare Business Division at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, attended today's briefing.

By municipality, confirmed cases occurred in Bucheon City with 27 cases, followed by Suwon City and Seongnam City with 20 cases each, and Yongin City with 17 cases, across all 24 municipalities in the province. The patient incidence rate per 100,000 population is highest in Gwacheon at 5.13 cases, followed by Icheon at 4.03 cases and Pocheon at 3.71 cases.
Of confirmed cases in Gyeonggi Province, 32 people have been discharged, and 151 people are currently under isolation treatment.
Analysis of confirmed cases in Gyeonggi Province shows 91 males and 94 females, with women accounting for 51%. By age group, people in their 30s account for 20.5%, the highest, followed by those in their 40s at 19.5%.
Of the 185 cases, 31 are related to Shincheonji, 29 are related to Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, and 125 are others, which are attributed to cluster infections related to Saengmyung Church, Bundang Jesaeng Hospital, and the Guro call center.

As of 0 a.m. on the 13th, Gyeonggi Province has secured 271 hospital beds across 14 hospitals through cooperation with 3 state-designated hospitalization treatment hospitals, 6 Gyeonggi Province public medical institutions, 1 Seongnam Medical Center, and 4 private advanced general hospitals in the province. Currently, 91 beds are available. Of the 180 beds in use, 147 are for Gyeonggi Province residents and 33 are for patients from other cities and provinces.

Regarding the Guro call center cluster infection, Gyeonggi Province has been isolating and conducting full testing of employees on floors 7-11 of the building since March 8, when the first confirmed case occurred, and is identifying symptomatic individuals. To date, 18 confirmed cases have been reported in the province. 14 are colleagues of confirmed cases, and 4 others who had contact with them have been confirmed.
Of 44 employees from the 11th floor insurance call center residing in Gyeonggi Province who were tested, 14 were confirmed positive, 29 tested negative, and 1 is undergoing testing. The total number of contacts, including family and acquaintances of the 44 employees, is 97, of which 4 additional cases have been confirmed.
Among employees from businesses on floors 7-10 of the same building residing in Gyeonggi Province, there are a total of 148 people, of which 75 tested negative, 30 are undergoing testing, and 38 are scheduled for testing. For the remaining 5 people who have left employment or cannot be reached, measures will be taken within a short period.
According to epidemiological investigation by Gyeonggi Province, one of four secondary transmission confirmed cases was found to be working as a caregiver at Hana Nursing Hospital in Bucheon.
This confirmed case had contact with a previously confirmed Bucheon resident at church services on March 8 and reported to Hana Nursing Hospital on the 11th. While working the morning shift, the person was contacted by the health center as an active surveillance subject and underwent testing at Sejong Hospital screening clinic. The person was confirmed positive on the 12th and is currently isolated at Gyeonggi Province Medical Center Paju Hospital.

As of 22:00 on the 12th, the total contact scale for confirmed cases at the nursing hospital is 182 people. Healthcare workers and patients on the same floors 3-4 as the confirmed case, 93 in total, have entered hospital cohort isolation, and patients and caregivers on other floors 2-5, 71 in total, are under active surveillance. Additionally, 18 family members and staff members are under home isolation.
The province plans to conduct testing of all hospital occupants on the 13th and strictly maintain hospital cohort isolation, including prohibiting patient and caregiver entry outside patient rooms.
Additionally, a testing schedule will be created for patients, and two rounds of testing are planned. The province will thoroughly manage symptomatic patients among hospitalized patients and will strengthen infection control measures for healthcare workers, including proper use of protective equipment and regular hospital disinfection.

Director Lee Hee-young stated, "In the community infection stage, there can be no safe haven," and added, "The quarantine method of 'chasing after' confirmed cases up to now cannot prevent large-scale infections like the call center case."
Director Lee said, "To protect beloved family members, workplace colleagues, and friends, each person must become a subject of quarantine," and suggested methods including switching religious gathering methods to online services, social distancing, compliance with personal hygiene rules, and consulting with health centers when cold outbreaks spread at high rates within groups.
Director Lee further stated, "Workplace infections are becoming a reality," and added, "Rather than excessive anxiety, small practical measures are needed. We urge you to practice office ventilation, disinfection, and social distancing."