Gyeonggi Province: "Voluntary Testing is Essential for Residents Who Visited Itaewon and Nonhyeon-dong"

[Suwon Ilbo=Park No-hun Reporter] As cluster infections originating from an Itaewon club spread, Gyeonggi Province has repeatedly called on residents who visited the Itaewon and Nonhyeon-dong areas to undergo voluntary testing.

Lee Hee-young, co-chairman of the Gyeonggi Province COVID-19 Emergency Response Task Force (professor at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital's public healthcare division), said at a regular briefing on the 13th, "Rapid and voluntary testing is essential to prevent the spread of the cluster infection that started in Itaewon," adding "For residents of Gyeonggi Province who visited the Itaewon area in Yongsan-gu, Seoul and Nonhyeon-dong in Gangnam-gu, Seoul between April 24 and May 6, we urge you to contact your local health center and quickly receive free diagnostic testing regardless of symptoms, for your own safety as well as the safety of your family and community."

As of 0:00 on the 13th, a total of 107 confirmed cases related to the Itaewon club have been identified nationwide. Of these, 23 are in Gyeonggi Province, with 14 having visited the Itaewon club and 9 cases of community transmission from contact with confirmed patients, including family members and workplace colleagues.
By occupation, office workers account for the majority at 56% (13 people), and by age, those in their 20s-30s make up the vast majority at 83% (19 people).
Since the confirmed cases emerged, Gyeonggi Province has dispatched rapid response teams to the affected areas to identify additional contacts and conduct in-depth epidemiological investigations. The province is conducting specimen testing and self-quarantine measures for contacts including family and acquaintances of confirmed patients, workplace colleagues, and visitors to the Itaewon club and nearby areas.
As of 0:00 on the 13th, a total of 3,542 people have been tested: 3,169 related to the Itaewon club and 373 in the community including family and workplace colleagues. As a result, 3,221 people tested negative, 23 tested positive, and the remaining 298 are under testing.

Earlier, on the 10th, Gyeonggi Province ordered COVID-19 infection testing and interpersonal contact restrictions for people who visited related facilities, including clubs in Itaewon that confirmed cases visited and a black sauna in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

Meanwhile, as of 0:00 on the 13th, Gyeonggi Province had 708 confirmed cases, an increase of 2 from 0:00 the previous day. (10,962 nationwide) Of the confirmed cases in Gyeonggi Province, 565 have been discharged, and 127 are currently in isolation at hospitals and living treatment centers. As of 0:00 on the 13th, through cooperation with three state-designated hospitalization treatment hospitals, five public medical institutions in Gyeonggi Province, and eight private general hospitals in the province, a total of 16 hospitals secure 529 treatment beds, with 101 beds (19%) currently in use.