🟡 [One Dead, Several Infected After Spinal Injection – Structural Infection Control Failure Suspected in Gangneung]

đź“… Date: August 5, 2025
✍️ Reporter: Jung Sung-won – Chosun Ilbo (Original in Korean)

đź§ľ Summary (non-simplified)

A growing cluster of patients who underwent spinal nerve block injections for back pain relief at a medical facility in Gangneung, South Korea, has led to one death and multiple hospitalizations. The incident, which prompted a formal epidemiological investigation, involves at least eight patients who developed severe symptoms including pain, headache, and decreased consciousness.

Most cases tested positive for Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) in either blood or cerebrospinal fluid. The age range of affected patients is between 60 and 80 years, and they all received the procedures during June and July 2025.

Key developments:

  • 1 death, with cause of death still under investigation.

  • 2 patients in intensive care.

  • 3 hospitalized in general wards.

  • 2 discharged after recovery.

MSSA is not classified as a legal infectious disease in South Korea, but is a common cause of healthcare-associated infections, particularly through breaches in sterilization, hand hygiene, or injection protocol.

Authorities have launched an urgent investigation into the medical facility’s preparation of injections, use of instruments, environmental sterilization, and staff hygiene practices. Additionally, 269 patients who underwent similar procedures in the past two weeks are being screened for possible symptoms such as fever, swelling, or aggravated pain.

The hospital has ceased operations since August 1 following the health authority's recommendation.

đź§© BBIU Structural Opinion

This is not an isolated clinical accident, but a likely case of structural failure in infection control, exacerbated by:

  • Inadequate hand hygiene protocols among staff.

  • Lack of aseptic technique in spinal nerve block procedures.

  • Potential contamination during injection preparation.

  • Deficiencies in equipment sterilization or operating room standards.

According to NCBI literature on MSSA outbreaks, such events are often linked not to the pathogens themselves but to breakdowns in infection prevention procedures.

💡 Key takeaway: This event reflects a symbolic “shrinkflation” in medical safety—a slow erosion of quality under economic pressure, leading to catastrophic outcomes.

BBIU strongly urges:

  1. Mandatory permanent labeling of changes in injection protocols or drug prep systems.

  2. Transparent reporting of hospital-level infection risks.

  3. Enforcement of minimum sterilization standards with third-party audits.

If economic efficiency becomes prioritized over basic hygiene, the cost will ultimately be paid by vulnerable patients. The trust in the healthcare system collapses not with statistics—but with a single preventable death.

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