If You've Visited a Club in Itaewon, Get Tested Through a Dedicated Hotline

[Suwon Ilbo=Park No-hoon Reporter] Yongin City announced on the 10th that it will deploy 31 inspection teams consisting of 62 personnel to conduct emergency inspections of all 195 entertainment facilities in the city and issue administrative orders equivalent to business suspension for establishments that fail to comply with quarantine guidelines, as it mobilizes all resources to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

This measure follows one citizen who visited a club in Itaewon, Seoul on the 6th being confirmed as a COVID-19 patient, with two additional citizens testing positive on the 8th.

The city organized an 'Emergency Response Task Force for Infection Spread' headed by the chief of the Cheoin-gu Health Center on the 9th and decided to proactively respond by conducting emergency inspections of all entertainment facilities in the city to block community transmission of COVID-19.

The inspection teams will first distribute administrative order notices containing government recommendations on business restrictions to all entertainment facilities and will conduct rigorous inspections of quarantine guideline compliance.

Previously, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters issued an administrative order on the 8th recommending that clubs and other entertainment facilities nationwide refrain from operating for one month until June 7, and to comply with quarantine guidelines if operations are unavoidable.

The city plans to issue an 'administrative order prohibiting gatherings' under 'Article 49 of the Infectious Disease Prevention Act,' effectively equivalent to business suspension, for any establishments found in violation of quarantine guidelines during this inspection. This law allows not only governors but also mayors and county heads to restrict or prohibit gatherings for disease prevention purposes.

In particular, the city plans to exercise strong subrogation rights by claiming damages for all quarantine-related costs if confirmed cases occur in establishments that violate quarantine guidelines.

The city announced such strong countermeasures because if COVID-19, which had nearly disappeared as a community infection, spreads again centered on these facilities, it could impose enormous national burden.

Separately, the city has established a dedicated hotline (031-324-4977) so that citizens who visited clubs in the Itaewon area are not discouraged from reporting to health centers due to privacy concerns and can receive diagnostic tests in a timely manner. Additionally, the city plans to strictly guarantee confidentiality for club users and others who voluntarily submit samples, except when necessary for epidemiological investigation.

Baek Kun-gi, mayor of Yongin City, said, "As seen in cases of countries that failed in quarantine measures due to complacency, if COVID-19 spreads again, it could cause enormous losses not only in lives but also in the economy and finances, so we have decided to take strong countermeasures," and added, "We ask that you maintain social distancing and follow prevention guidelines to prevent community transmission of COVID-19."

Meanwhile, based on the 9th at 5 p.m., the city conducted COVID-19 diagnostic tests on 114 people including workplace contacts, acquaintances, and military personnel related to the confirmed patient who visited the Itaewon club. Among them, 2 tested positive, 101 tested negative, and testing is ongoing for 11 people.

If additional confirmed cases occur, the city plans to disclose relevant information in real time through SNS.