Chonnam National University Hospital in Gwangju has decided to impose cohort isolation on one of its buildings with more than 150 patients after a dozen new coronavirus cases were detected there.

“It is difficult for us to provide normal treatment service as the hospital has been exposed to the risk of virus transmission coupled with a surge in the number of medical staff who are under self-isolation regime,” Kim Sung-jin, acting director of the hospital, said during a press conference held at Chonnam National University Hospital in Gwangju, 330 kilometers southwest of Seoul, Tuesday.

The decision puts 154 inpatients in the first main building of the hospital under cohort isolation to prevent the further spread of the respiratory disease to other patients. Currently, a total of 424 inpatients are under treatment there.

The measure, which came into effect Tuesday morning, bans outpatients and visitors from entering the facility. Medical staff and other workers are required to wear protective clothes and equipment. They are being instructed to restrict their movements, not to go anywhere except for the hospital and their homes, and not to have any contact with others.

Outpatient care and emergency treatment services will be suspended until Nov. 22.

“I apologize for causing inconvenience for the local people. We will make our utmost efforts to promptly bring our medical service back to normal,” he said.

Since a neurosurgeon was confirmed to have contracted the virus Nov. 13, some 29 cases had been tied to the hospital as of 8 a.m. Tuesday. Of them 16 were patients or medical workers at the hospital. Some 36 doctors and 121 nurses have been ordered to self-isolate.

The city of Gwangju said Tuesday that it would strengthen its social distancing guidelines from the current Level 1 to Level 1.5 starting Thursday.

“Although the average number of daily cases in Gwangju was seven, which falls short of the standard for intensifying social distancing regime, cases tied to Chonnam National University Hospital have been increasing rapidly. Whether to strengthen the measure cannot be decided by simply relying on numbers,” Gwangju Mayor Lee Yong-sup said.

By Park Han-na (hnpark@heraldcorp.com)