Notice

Message from the President – Dear Members of POSTECH and People of Pohang

2020-03-01 389

Please note that a member of our university, who was retested during self-isolation, has tested positive for the virus on March 28th and is currently awaiting hospital transfer. At this time, the capacity in the Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do region is not favorable so we are discussing with authorities to transfer the patient as quickly as possible. We encourage you to stay indoors.

The new confirmed patient is a close contact of the first patient confirmed on March 23rd and remained in self-isolation since then. The person showed no symptoms until 26th and tested negative for the virus, but maintained self-isolation abiding strictly to the guidelines, and therefore had no external contact for the past week.

As this confirmed patient has been quarantined for the past week, our current priority is to identify close contacts (Case 1, see message 10085 on bulletin) and those with high chance of contact (Cases 2 and 3) before last week (In many cases, most are already in self-isolation as close contacts of the first patient confirmed on March 23rd).

As soon as the new patient’s past route is tracked, we will notify you through the school bulletin board and the Smart Notification app. Those that fall under Case 1 will be directly contacted, but for Cases 2 and 3, please check your past routes (if high probability of contact), and follow the procedures and enter into self-isolation.

Science Building III where the confirmed patient mainly visited was closed for the past week, but its closure will be extend further. The specific period and details will be communicated promptly to members and to the public as soon as they are determined.

As previously announced, the disinfection process was carried out last night at 7pm and it will be conducted again in Dorm Building 14 and surrounding areas as soon as the confirmed patient is transferred to the hospital.

We will also establish a countermeasure at the university level and notify you as soon as possible. Once again, I would like to ask our members to strictly comply with the prevention guidelines, and to refrain from going out or visiting other cities. We also ask Pohang citizens to avoid visiting POSTECH except to conduct business. We ask for your understanding and cooperation from all our members and the people of Pohang.

My well wishes to our members and people of Pohang, and a quick recovery of the newly confirmed patient.

February 29, 2020

Moo Hwan Kim
President