Gyeonggi Province Shows Notably High COVID-19 Incidence Rate per 100,000 Population Among Middle-Aged and Elderly

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] The COVID-19 incidence rate per 100,000 population among Gyeonggi Province residents has been notably high in the middle-aged and elderly population aged 50 and above. While the average was around 33.8 cases, those 90 years and older reached 87.8 cases and those in their 60s-69s reached 72.4 cases.

Lim Seung-gwan, co-head of Gyeonggi Province's COVID-19 Emergency Response Task Force, held a regular press conference on the 5th and explained the results of an analysis of COVID-19 cases by age group in Gyeonggi Province.

Since the first confirmed case in Gyeonggi Province on January 26, a total of 4,477 confirmed cases had occurred as of 0 a.m. on October 5, with cumulative infections at approximately 33.8 per 100,000 population. To date, 77 people have died, with a simple fatality rate of approximately 1.72%.
Since August, when the metropolitan area outbreak increased, 2,846 cases have been confirmed in the province, with approximately 65% of total cases occurring over the past two months. During the same period, 45 deaths occurred, accounting for approximately 59% of the total.

Analyzing the 4,477 confirmed cases by age group using 2016 Statistics Bureau data and calculating incidence per 100,000 Gyeonggi Province residents, those 9 years and under had the lowest at 14.8 cases, followed by 10s at 17.3 cases, 20s at 43.9 cases, 30s at 30.8 cases, 40s at 26.4 cases, 50s at 43.6 cases, 60s at 72.4 cases, 70s at 61.0 cases, 80s at 68.2 cases, and 90 and above at 87.8 cases.

Director Lim stated, "These characteristics became more pronounced in August and September when the outbreak was most severe," and added, "Now is the time to prepare for winter and outbreak management in 2021. We must establish detailed strategies based on accurate epidemiological data analysis."
He further noted, "Gyeonggi Province will actively cooperate with the Central Disaster Management Headquarters' joint response policy for the metropolitan area, and will do our best to assist in sharing data and establishing strategies."

As of 0 a.m. on the 5th, the number of confirmed cases in Gyeonggi Province increased by 27 from 0 a.m. the previous day to a total of 4,477 cases, with confirmed cases occurring in 12 cities and counties across the province. The transmission routes of new confirmed cases include 12 related to a military unit in Pocheon and 3 related to construction workers in Yangpyeong County.

As of 0 a.m. on the 5th, a total of 12 soldiers and officers at a military unit in Pocheon received confirmed diagnoses. As of noon on the 5th, 24 additional confirmed cases were reported. On the 2nd, three soldiers at the unit showed symptoms including loss of taste and smell, and were confirmed positive on the 4th following tests conducted at the Armed Forces Capital Hospital. Subsequent tests confirmed an additional 33 soldiers and officers as of noon on the 5th. The military authorities have restricted troop movements and placed them in isolation following case confirmation, and are conducting full-scale testing on all 269 personnel at the unit, including officers.

Regarding the construction worker cluster in Yangpyeong County, following the first confirmed case from Seoul on September 30, seven additional cases including family members and coworkers were confirmed from October 1-3, and on the 4th, three additional cases including one coworker and two individuals with bathhouse contact were confirmed, bringing the cumulative total to 10 confirmed cases. Testing is ongoing for family members who contacted confirmed cases, and disaster text messages were sent to visitors to the bathhouse from September 27-29 with testing guidance.

As of 0 a.m. on the 5th, Gyeonggi Province has secured 674 confirmed patient treatment beds at 16 hospitals, with 272 beds (40.4%) currently in use.