OFFERING OF FACILITIES AS TREATMENT CENTERS

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As the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions experience a shortage of hospital beds, religious organizations and large corporations are offering their private facilities to be used as treatment centers for patients with mild symptoms.

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​Roughly 2,300 patients are waiting to be admitted to hospitals or community treatment centers in Daegu.

[Soundbite] KIM GANG-LIP(CENTRAL DISASTER AND SAFETY COUNTERMEASURES HQ) : "As this is a very urgent situation, Daegu and local government bodies need to make more efforts to expand community treatment centers."

The religious sector started to offer a helping hand. This is Yoido Full Gospel Church's training center located in Paju, Gyeonggi-do Province. The church decided to provide this facility with a maximum capacity of 800 people for treatment of mild cases.

[Soundbite] KIM DU-YEONG(YOIDO FULL GOSPEL CHURCH) : "The training center will be provided until the patients are fully recovered."

SaRang Church in Gangnam will open up two facilities in Anseong, Gyeonggi-do Province and Jecheon, Chungcheongbuk-do Province for COVID-19 patients. Combined, the two facilities can accommodate up to 1,500 people. The churches will discuss the actual number of incoming patients and operation methods with health authorities. At the request of the Daegu city government, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Daegu plans to provide the Hanti Retreat Center as a community treatment facility. Conglomerates are also stepping up to the plate. Samsung offered its Yeongdeok training institute as a community treatment center, while LG Group opened up its dormitory in Gumi and training institute in Uljin, both in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, for COVID-19 patients. LG employees who were in the dorm eagerly cooperated, swiftly moving to other lodgings nearby. With assistance from the private sector pouring in, the government was able to ensure treatment centers for some 2,900 people. Discussions are underway for additional facilities to accommodate 3,400 more patients.