Gyeonggi Province Implements Infection Control Training for Long-term Care Hospitals...Protecting Vulnerable Facilities from Cluster Infections

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Gyeonggi Province is implementing infection control training targeting infection control managers at long-term care hospitals vulnerable to COVID-19 cluster infections.

Lim Seung-gwan, co-head of Gyeonggi Province's COVID-19 Emergency Response Team, said at a regular briefing on the 12th, "COVID-19 infection is particularly dangerous in the elderly with underlying medical conditions, and if infection spreads in spaces like long-term care hospitals or care facilities, the damage is considerable," adding "The province is considering various policies to protect such spaces, and this educational training program was also planned in that context."

Conducted under the auspices of the Gyeonggi Province Public Health Medical Support Group and Gyeonggi Province Infectious Disease Management Support Group under the program title "Smart Infection Control, Long-term Care Hospital Edition," this program consists of online foundational education and offline practical training courses.
The online video lectures were produced with participation of infectious disease and infection control specialist professors from medical schools and nursing colleges, and are available on YouTube for anyone to utilize.
The practical training will be conducted for dedicated or concurrent infection control managers at long-term care hospitals in the province who have applied and registered, held in a total of 5 sessions from August 18 to September 1, with plans to train a total of 150 people at 30 people per session.
It will be held at the Armed Forces Capital Hospital, with infection control specialists, epidemiological investigators from Gyeonggi Province, the Gyeonggi Province Infectious Disease Management Support Group, and the Armed Forces Capital Hospital serving as instructors. The training will focus on case sharing of epidemiological investigations upon confirmed COVID-19 cases in medical institutions, mock drills for preparing for confirmed cases based on scenarios, and practical training on putting on and removing personal protective equipment.

Director Lim said, "I hope this educational program, designed with consideration for the reality of long-term care hospitals, will be actively operated and contribute to protecting the safety of hospitalized patients and healthcare workers at long-term care hospitals in the province."

As of 12:00 AM on the 12th, a total of 19 new confirmed cases were reported in the province, with 4 related to Gimpo Jusinui Saem Church and 15 from community spread.
Confirmed cases related to Gimpo Jusinui Saem Church increased by 4 from the previous day to a total of 11. Following the first confirmed case among a member of the church residing in Gimpo on August 9, additional members of the same church had close contact and tested positive, and 4 people including workplace colleagues and family members of these confirmed cases were newly confirmed on the 11th. The province has dispatched a rapid response team and is conducting in-depth epidemiological investigations on cohabitants and additional contacts along the movement routes of confirmed cases, and is continuously monitoring the situation.

There are a total of 15 confirmed cases from community spread. Related to a pediatric hospital in Namyangju, a family of three—a husband, spouse, and child—residing in Namyangju have tested positive. They have a history of hospitalization and treatment at a pediatric hospital in Namyangju from August 5. The pediatric hospital has been closed for two weeks, and 139 people including staff and admitted/discharged patients are being tested and actively monitored. Among the family members, the wife visited the Namdaemun area on July 30, but it has been confirmed she did not visit the commercial building where confirmed cases had occurred. The elementary school-aged child has no history of school attendance but attends a swimming pool, and 25 people with whom they had contact are being tested.

A first-year student at Daeji High School in Yongin developed symptoms including fever and headache on August 10 and tested positive, with 4 additional people with whom they had close contact testing positive. Additionally, a family of three—a husband, spouse, and child—residing in Gwangju have tested positive, with infection estimated to have occurred following contact with a confirmed case in Seoul's Gangnam district.

The infection source for all 15 community spread cases is unknown, and in-depth epidemiological investigations on the source of infection and additional contacts are underway.

Meanwhile, as of 12:00 AM on the 12th, the number of confirmed cases in Gyeonggi Province increased by 19 from the previous day to 1,664 cases. (Nationwide: 14,714 cases) Of confirmed cases in Gyeonggi Province, 1,458 have been discharged, and currently 174 are in isolation at hospitals and residential treatment centers. As of 12:00 AM on the 12th, Gyeonggi Province has secured 552 confirmed case treatment beds across 14 hospitals, with 156 beds (28.3%) currently in use.