[현장생중계]Central Defense Response Headquarters Corona 19 Briefing (March 7)

[윤태호 /중앙사고수습본부 방역총괄반장]

From February 28th to March 6th, I will tell you about the one-week outbreak and epidemic. The average number of domestic patients per day for the past week was 372. This is similar compared to the 369 patients in the previous week.

Regionally, the number of patients in the metropolitan area is still high and the outbreak is not declining. In the metropolitan area, an average of 295 patients occurred per day last week, which is about 80% of all patients.

In the non-metropolitan area, the average number of cases per day is 77, which is maintained within 100. Even by region, none of the regions exceeded the average of 30 people in the past week.

Therefore, the metropolitan area believes there is a risk that the epidemic can spread again at any time. In consideration of these dangers, the residents of the metropolitan area are repeatedly urged to strictly observe the quarantine regulations in their daily lives.

The weekly infectious material production index is currently below 1 in all regions of the country. The national infectious product production index is a little lower than 1, which is a slight decrease compared to last week.

The metropolitan area’s infectious material production index has barely changed compared to last week. Overall, the trend of spread is stagnating. If we look at the infection patterns a little more, infections continue to occur in various living spaces.

First of all, group infections have been reported continuously at manufacturing workplaces and call centers in a 3 dense environment. Group infections in local communities such as families, acquaintances, indoor sports facilities and hospitals at restaurants and residential areas are also steadily occurring.

Taken together, the past week is a stagnation situation that neither diminishes nor spreads again. However, since mid-January, there have been 300 to 400 patients every day for 7 weeks, so it is not a situation that can be relieved at all.

As it is said that it is not over until the end, the battle against Corona 19 is not over yet, and it is not time to relieve tensions about quarantine.

We have already experienced an average of 400 patients per day at the end of the year, rising to 1000 in 4 weeks. Please work together to stably suppress this third epidemic, which is showing a stagnant trend.

Next, I will tell you about the status of quarantine inspection at workplaces where foreign workers are employed. Since March 4, the government has been conducting special site inspections to prevent recurrence of group infections at workplaces employing foreigners, and the inspection of workplaces will be completed in March.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor, the Ministry of Justice, and local governments jointly formed a special inspection group to conduct on-site inspections of about 12,000 dormitories among manufacturing workplaces employing five or more foreigners.

Among them, 1,600 high-risk workplaces in the metropolitan area and Chungcheong area will be analyzed by collecting environmental samples to confirm the presence of coronavirus. If coronavirus is detected, workers in the workplace will be tested for Corona 19.

This on-site inspection will focus on items necessary to reduce the risk of infection at the actual site, such as wearing a mask in common spaces, ventilation every two hours, installing splash barriers in the dining room, and restricting access to people outside the dormitory.

Workplaces that are vulnerable to quarantine will be notified to the local governments having jurisdiction, linked to a preemptive PCR test, and instructed business owners to undergo the test as well. In confined spaces where many people come into close contact, mass infections can occur anywhere.

The way to prevent this is to strictly follow the quarantine rules. We urge business owners and workers to follow thorough quarantine rules to prevent COVID-19 infection from occurring in your workplace.

Next, we will explain how to prepare for the 4th Corona 19 epidemic. There is a possibility that the Corona 19 virus will spread again due to increased social fatigue as the amount of movement increases in spring and the prolonged Corona 19, and easing tensions in quarantine as vaccination begins.

In addition, mutant viruses are prevalent in many countries around the world, and there is a risk that mutant viruses will be introduced and spread at any time in Korea. Many experts also have this concern.

Accordingly, the government has prepared measures to suppress the 4th outbreak of Corona 19 as much as possible and to strengthen quarantine and medical response capabilities in preparation for situations in which an outbreak may occur in case of emergency.

First, we will further strengthen our quarantine capabilities to prevent the 4th outbreak. We will expand the Corona 19 diagnostic test so that patients can be detected early. We will expand our testing capabilities from 230,000 to 500,000, and apply testing methods appropriate to the situation.

We will reduce the risk of group infection by performing periodic inspections on workers working in facilities vulnerable to infection, such as nursing hospitals and correctional facilities.

In addition, we will expand and operate a temporary screening laboratory that can be tested by ordinary people without symptoms so that asymptomatic or mildly infected people can be detected early.

We will reinforce epidemiological investigation personnel and strengthen our capabilities to quickly block infection and prevent the spread. While continuing to reinforce the epidemiological investigation manpower of local governments, we will continue to reinforce our epidemiological investigation capabilities by improving the epidemiological investigation support system.

In addition, using epidemiological information, we will conduct planned sample inspections for facilities with frequent group infections to reinforce the system for prevention and early detection.

In order to block the influx of mutant viruses, countries with high risk of mutant viruses will be designated and managed as countries with enhanced quarantine.

All foreign visitors are required to submit a negative PCR confirmation before entering the country, and a total of 3 corona 19 tests are conducted: immediately after entry and before quarantine.

In addition, we will further strengthen the management of self-isolation of facilities. In principle, mutant virus-producing countries will stop the quarantine exemption system, conduct PCR tests three times before and after entry, and reinforce the management system by sharing related information with local governments.

We will also prepare enough medical response capabilities to prepare for a recurrent pandemic in which the number of patients rapidly increases. Currently, the authorities have secured a total of 16,000 beds, including 760 corona19 critical care beds.

Currently, there are over 11,000 beds available immediately. This is a level that can respond to an average of 1000 patients per day. We will establish a medical system that can respond to an average of 2,000 patients per day due to a recurrent pandemic.

To this end, the government has designated hospitals and life treatment centers that can be used in emergencies as reserves, and recruits additional medical nursing personnel as a reserve so that there will be no obstacles in securing beds, personnel, equipment, and facilities if the number of patients rapidly increases.

The government is also preparing for a reorganization of social distancing based on autonomy and responsibility, reflecting the past year’s experience in responding to Corona 19, enhanced medical response capabilities, high citizenship, and reinforced responsibility in our society.

There is a saying that it is a geoan-sawi This means that even when you are in peace, you must prepare in advance for dangers and difficulties. The government will thoroughly stop the 4th epidemic of Corona 19 and prepare thoroughly to respond even if a re-emergence comes.

We will do our best to help the people regain their precious daily life as soon as possible. Thank you.