Incheon Metropolitan City Government Conducts Infectious Disease Crisis Management Response Training Based on a Simulated Ebola Scenario

【Financial News, Incheon — Reporter Han Gap-su】 Incheon Metropolitan City Government conducted a joint response exercise with relevant agencies to prepare for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases entering the country from overseas.
Incheon Metropolitan City Government announced on the 11th that it had conducted the 2026 Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Disease Crisis Management Response Training in the city hall's main conference room, with participation from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), Incheon National Quarantine Station, military and district public health centers, medical institutions, fire and police departments, military units, and other relevant agencies.
The exercise was conducted under the slogan "Rapid Detection, Accurate Response, Infectious Disease Safety We Create Together." It simulated a situation in which a patient infected with Ebola virus disease overseas entered South Korea and proceeded in a manner comparable to an actual crisis.
The exercise involved the KDCA, Incheon National Quarantine Station, Incheon Metropolitan City Government, 11 district and county public health centers, the Institute of Health and Environment, major local medical and educational institutions, and infectious disease response agencies including fire and police departments and military units.
The exercise began with a special lecture by Si Hye-jin, a professor of infectious diseases at Gachon University Gil Medical Center. Professor Si explained the domestic and international status of Ebola virus disease outbreaks, its clinical characteristics, and response procedures when a patient is identified, helping participants improve their understanding of infectious disease crisis situations.
The step-by-step response exercise then covered patient identification and reporting, epidemiological investigations, patient transport and isolation, contact tracing and management, testing, and infection control within medical institutions. Each agency performed its assigned role under a simulated real-world scenario and reviewed ways to cooperate throughout the response process.
The discussion-based exercise presented common scenarios, individual situations based on each agency's role, and unexpected developments. Participating agencies exchanged views and developed response measures according to the situations provided. The exercise focused on improving rapid decision-making, interagency communication, and cooperation during an infectious disease crisis.
Practical training was also conducted to prevent infections at the scene. During instruction on putting on and removing personal protective equipment, led by Kang Hyun-joo, head of a unit at the infection control office of Gachon University Gil Medical Center, participants practiced the proper procedures firsthand. Fluorescent materials were also used to check whether contamination occurred while putting on or removing the protective equipment, underscoring the importance of infection control in the field.
The city plans to continue conducting practical infectious disease response exercises to strengthen on-site response capabilities and minimize harm to residents from outbreaks of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.
Kim Min-jung, head of the city's Health and Welfare Bureau, said, "Using this exercise as an opportunity, we will further strengthen the cooperation system among relevant agencies and do our utmost to protect residents' safety through rapid detection and accurate response."
[email protected] Han Gap-su Reporter