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On Mar. 1, Gwangju Mayor Lee Yong-seop announces the city’s decision to take in novel coronavirus patients with mild symptoms from Daegu, where the outbreak is overwhelming local health authorities. (Yonhap News)

The city of Gwangju has agreed to allow two hospitals to take in patients from Daegu who have mild symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

The decision was announced in a special statement by the metropolitan community at Gwangju City Hall on Mar. 1. The statement was issued on behalf of 43 groups and organizations, including the metropolitan government and its board of education.

“At the moment, 1,662 of the 2,569 people who have contracted COVID-19 in Daegu aren’t even hospitalized. We will take in Daegu patients of COVID-19 for treatment under quarantine at Chonnam National University Bitgoeul Hospital and Gwangju 2nd Geriatric Hospital, which specialize in infectious disease,” said Gwangju Mayor Lee Yong-seop in the statement.

“This is a race against time. We mustn’t waste this precious opportunity to halt the spread of the infectious disease and to help Daegu. Rather than being wary of others and pushing them away for our own safety, it’s time for Koreans to come together in even greater solidarity so that we can overcome this difficulty,” Lee stressed.

“The reason that Gwangju wasn’t entirely forsaken when it was isolated in May 1980 was because of the countless like-minded people who showed their solidarity. The time has come for us to pay back that debt. With the spirit of sharing and solidarity, Gwangju will help Daegu patients with mild symptoms.”

“Daegu and Gwangju have been sister cities since 2013. There’s an affinity between the spirit of the Daegu Democracy Movement [Feb. 28, 1960] and the Gwangju Democratization Movement [May 18, 1980], when the people of our two cities didn’t hesitate to make sacrifices in their dedication to defending justice and democracy.”

“We made our decision after listening to the opinions of medical professionals and pondering the mission this age has presented to the righteous city of Gwangju. We will help Daegu while taking measures to cordon off these facilities and thoroughly disinfect them to ensure there’s no impact on the lives and safety of our citizens.”

Lee also discussed the measures that would be taken. “We will take every precaution while transporting the Daegu patients so that no community infection occurs; patients’ family members will not accompany them.”

Gwangju officials will be meeting with their counterparts in Daegu and public health officials to discuss the number of patients that will be transported, when they’ll be moved, and how they’ll be managed.

By Ahn Kwan-ok, Gwangju correspondent

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