Gyeonggi Province Opens Sixth Community Treatment Center in Yongin...Can Accommodate 235 Mild Cases

[Suwon Ilbo=Park No-hun Reporter] In preparation for the increasing number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, Gyeonggi Province opened and operates the sixth community treatment center in Yongin on the 25th.

Kim Jae-hun, director of the Gyeonggi Province Health and Wellness Bureau, held a regular press conference on COVID-19 response on the 25th and stated, "As the number of people admitted to community treatment centers has been continuously increasing recently, with the operating rate approaching 94%, the number of available accommodations is rapidly decreasing. To ensure there are no disruptions in accepting new admissions, we have additionally prepared the sixth community treatment center."

The sixth community treatment center, which opened at Hanwha Life Lifepark in Yongin, designated Gyeonggi Provincial Hospital Suwon Branch as the dedicated hospital and has a capacity to accommodate a total of 235 mild cases.

With this opening, Gyeonggi Province now operates a total of three community treatment centers along with the existing ones in Icheon and Goyang. The accommodation capacity has increased from 536 to 771, a 43.8% increase.

Hanwha Life Lifepark in Yongin was previously used as Gyeonggi Province's first community treatment center in March and closed operations in May, but with the increase in confirmed cases, it has reopened as the sixth community treatment center.

As of 18:00 on the 24th, the third community treatment center in Icheon and the fourth in Goyang have 430 people admitted, showing a 94% operating rate, with 27 remaining available beds.

From the 18th to the 24th, over one week, a total of 310 people were admitted to community treatment centers, averaging 44 per day, and a total of 127 were discharged, averaging 18 per day.

On average daily basis, admissions exceed discharges by 26 people, an increase of 15 compared to the previous week.

As of 0:00 on the 25th, the number of confirmed cases in Gyeonggi Province increased by 82 from the previous day, reaching a total of 6,681, with confirmed cases occurring in all 22 cities and counties in the province.

Looking at the transmission routes of new confirmed cases, there are 3 cases related to a kids' cafe in Yongin and 1 case related to a karaoke establishment in Gimpo.

Among new confirmed cases, 23 patients (28%) with unknown transmission routes, and 10 elderly people aged 60 and above, accounting for 12.2%.

Regarding the cluster infection related to the kids' cafe in Yongin, after a family of four in Yongin tested positive on the 13th, 64 people were confirmed as of the 23rd, and as of 0:00 on the 25th, 3 additional cases were added, bringing the total confirmed cases to 67.

Currently, 47 people who came into contact with confirmed cases have been placed under self-quarantine, and 14 are under active surveillance. Since this spread is linked through kids' cafes, Yongin issued closure orders to 865 childcare facilities in the city starting from the 23rd.

Additionally, confirmed cases are appearing in kindergartens, taekwondo studios and other facilities related to kids' cafe users, and full testing is being conducted on close contacts at these facilities.

Regarding the cluster infection related to the karaoke establishment in Gimpo, where 22 people were infected from the 16th to the 20th, one additional confirmed case was added on the 24th, bringing the total confirmed cases to 23.

Among 15 people who came into contact with confirmed cases, 11 are under active surveillance and 4 are under passive surveillance.

Shortly after a confirmed case occurred on the 16th, Gimpo sent an emergency disaster text asking people who visited karaoke establishments in the area surrounding the confirmed case's location to undergo specimen testing. On the 18th, Gimpo issued an assembly prohibition order for all karaoke establishments in the city.

As of 0:00 on the 25th, Gyeonggi Province has secured 674 confirmed case treatment beds at a total of 16 hospitals, and currently 388 beds (57.6%) are in use. Among severe patient treatment beds, 34 out of 49 beds are in use.