Coronavirus to the vulnerable class… 14 additional homeless persons confirmed, 6 elderly patients with underlying diseases died

Vulnerable people, such as homeless people and elderly people admitted to nursing hospitals, are one of the’weak links’ of the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19). Although the’third epidemic’, which started in December last year, seems to be somewhat fading, Corona 19 seems to be more pervasive, especially among the vulnerable. The number of elderly deaths continues to appear, and recent group infections centered on the homeless have also occurred.

Citizens and homeless people lined up at the Temporary Screening Clinic installed in Seoul Station Square on the afternoon of the 28th amid the spread of the COVID-19 group infection that occurred at the’Seoul Station Hope Support Center’ and’Seoul Station Emergency Shelter’, which are homeless facilities in Seoul Station Plaza. Stand. [연합뉴스]

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the 29th, a total of 14 corona19 confirmed cases came out the previous day at a homeless facility in Seoul Station. This facility is a place where 20 additional people were confirmed by the 27th after the initial diagnosis of one person concerned on the 17th. The group infection continued on the 28th, and the cumulative number of confirmed cases related to this facility increased to 35. The 14 new confirmed cases were all homeless, and there were no facility operators.

On the morning of the 27th, two days ago, 3 users and 1 were confirmed for Corona 19 at homeless shelters in Yongsan-gu and Yeongdeungpo-gu, respectively. The quarantine authorities are investigating the dynamics between these facilities, but even this is not easy. In a briefing the day before, Song Eun-cheol, head of the Seoul Infectious Disease Control Division, said, “In the case of homeless people, it is difficult to grasp the details of mobile phone GPS and card use, so they are grasping the path through in-depth interviews.”

As homeless people have to ask about the places they visited and the identity of the people they met, the speed of identifying contacts is also slow. Song said, “We are currently grasping the size of close contact with about 70 people, but epidemiological investigations are in progress and may be added according to the results.”

On the 29th, Eun-cheol Song, head of the Seoul Infectious Disease Control Division, gave a briefing on the COVID-19 outbreak and major countermeasures. [뉴시스]

The city of Seoul is planning to first perform a preemptive inspection to find a confirmed case. First, it was decided to use the existing temporary screening clinic at Seoul Station so that the homeless and residents of the gangbang room could undergo examination. In addition, it has decided to operate an additional’visiting screening clinic’ at Saedream Children’s Park in Dongja-dong, Yongsan-gu. It is about 300m away from Exit 11 of Seoul Station on Subway Line 4.

Separately, a total of 722 people were tested at the visiting screening clinic operated by the Seoul Metropolitan Government for the homeless from the 27th, and three were trained. Currently, the city of Seoul is focusing on preventing the spread by transferring homeless persons classified as close contacts to temporary living facilities. A total of 738 rooms are being operated using 4 private hotels, and 558 people have entered the facility so far.

On the morning of the 29th, the’Resident Hope Support Center’, a homeless facility in the Seoul Station Plaza, has been suspended due to the outbreak of a collective infection with Corona 19. [뉴스1]

The problem is in the future. According to the results of the 2016 survey of homeless people, published by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the number of homeless people nationwide reaches 11,000 who live in streets, parks, shelters, and private rooms without a certain shelter. Health is also not good. Of these, 36.1% suffer from metabolic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. Many also suffer from mental illnesses (28.6%) such as dental disease (29.5%) and schizophrenia and alcohol addiction.

Civic groups have urged homeless people to improve their residential spaces. A civic group homeless action issued a statement on the 27th and said, “Currently, temporary shelters for homeless people are in the form of camps where dozens of people sleep in one place, and there is a high concern that they will become a source of collective infection.” “Support” he asked.

New cases of corona 19 in Seoul. Graphic = Younghee Kim [email protected]

On the other hand, as of 0 o’clock on the 29th, 112 new confirmed cases of Corona 19 in Seoul have been recorded for 22 consecutive days since the 7th. Although the third epidemic seems to have faded somewhat, group infection continues, mainly among the vulnerable, and is not falling below the 100 range. Three additional confirmed cases occurred in a nursing facility in Nowon-gu where the existing group infection occurred, resulting in a cumulative 14 confirmed cases.

The number of deaths continues to emerge, mainly among the elderly with underlying diseases. The previous day in Seoul, a total of 6 deaths occurred, including 3 in their 70s, 2 in their 80s, and 1 in their 90s. All had underlying diseases.

Reporter Heo Jeongwon [email protected]