Death of Patient After Treatment at Medical Institution in Gangneung, Health Authorities Launch Epidemiological Investigation

At a medical institution in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, abnormal symptoms have occurred among patients who received treatments for alleviating back pain, prompting health authorities to initiate an urgent epidemiological investigation.

So far, one patient has died, and a detailed investigation is underway to determine the possibility of infection and its correlation with the treatment.

According to the announcement made by Gangwon Province on the 5th, a report was received by the Gangneung Public Health Center stating that several patients who underwent nerve block procedures for back pain relief at the medical institution on the 28th of last month showed abnormal symptoms.

In response, a joint epidemiological investigation team was formed by Gangwon Province, the Infectious Disease Control Support Team, Gangneung City, and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, and on the 29th, they began field investigations.

Among the eight patients who received treatment at this medical institution, symptoms such as headaches, decreased consciousness, and fever were reported, with one patient having died. Currently, five patients have been transferred to other hospitals for inpatient treatment, while two have already been discharged.

Notably, most of the patients had 'methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA)' detected in their blood or cerebrospinal fluid. This bacterium is known to be a major cause of healthcare-associated infections, but it is not designated as a legal infectious disease.

MSSA Detected

Detailed Investigations Underway to Confirm Infection Route

The epidemiological investigation team is closely examining the injection solution used in the treatment and the preparation process to identify the infection route.

Interviews with medical personnel have been conducted, and a total of 62 samples, including environmental samples and instruments, have been collected.

According to the inspection results from the Gangwon Provincial Health and Environment Research Institute, Staphylococcus aureus was detected in three samples from medical personnel and 13 environmental samples, and genetic analysis has been requested from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency to further verify the causal relationship regarding the infections.

In accordance with health authorities' recommendations, the medical institution has ceased operations as of the 1st.

The Gangneung Public Health Center stated that it plans to check on the health status of 269 patients who received the same treatment within the last two weeks.

Whether to disclose the name of the medical institution will be decided through a meeting of the investigation team after the epidemiological correlation is clearly established.

A representative from Gangwon Province stated, "We will continue to monitor the health status of individuals who received the same treatment in cooperation with Gangneung City, and we will do our best to monitor for additional cases."

This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of infection control within medical institutions, and health authorities are expected to develop measures to identify the precise cause and prevent similar cases in the future.

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