S. Korea steps up quarantine over imported COVID-19 cases
- 4 years ago
해외입국자 2주간 의무격리…"격리위반시 무관용 처벌"
South Korea says that among the new COVID-19 cases, it's seeing a high proportion of them brought in from overseas.
People arriving from other countries now have to self-isolate for two weeks.
And the government has reiterated that it's enforcing a zero-tolerance policy for those who break the rules.
Kim Ji-yeon has more on those measures and the latest COVID-19 figures.
South Korea on Wednesday reported 101 newly confirmed cases,... raising the total to 9-thousand-887.
A growing number of them are from overseas.
The Central Disease Control Headquarters said... one-third of the new cases confirmed in the past two weeks... were people who'd come in from other countries or had been in contact with others who had.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said imported cases were also the main cause of infections in the capital.
But the number of people entering the country has fallen dramatically since the start of the year.
In the last week of March, there were just 50-thousand, and at the same time the country has strengthened its quarantine measures.
From Wednesday, all people arriving from overseas have to go into self-isolation for 14 days, a measure that was originally applied only to those from Europe and the U.S.
"Those who violate the quarantine rules could sentenced to up to one year in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won about 8-thousand-100 dollars. Foreigners could be deported."
The South Korean authorities are also on high alert over virus transmissions in hospitals.
A cluster infection at a psychiatric hospital in the city of Daegu has grown to 135 cases, and one patient there a 57-year-old male died on Wednesday.
Also, 43 patients at Asan Medical Center, a major hospital in southern Seoul, have been placed in cohort isolation, meaning a complete lockdown,... after a young patient tested positive.
The authorities said, however, that the center will be up and running in days... now that some five-hundred people that had been in contact with the patient have tested negative.
Kim Ji-yeon, Arirang News.
South Korea says that among the new COVID-19 cases, it's seeing a high proportion of them brought in from overseas.
People arriving from other countries now have to self-isolate for two weeks.
And the government has reiterated that it's enforcing a zero-tolerance policy for those who break the rules.
Kim Ji-yeon has more on those measures and the latest COVID-19 figures.
South Korea on Wednesday reported 101 newly confirmed cases,... raising the total to 9-thousand-887.
A growing number of them are from overseas.
The Central Disease Control Headquarters said... one-third of the new cases confirmed in the past two weeks... were people who'd come in from other countries or had been in contact with others who had.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said imported cases were also the main cause of infections in the capital.
But the number of people entering the country has fallen dramatically since the start of the year.
In the last week of March, there were just 50-thousand, and at the same time the country has strengthened its quarantine measures.
From Wednesday, all people arriving from overseas have to go into self-isolation for 14 days, a measure that was originally applied only to those from Europe and the U.S.
"Those who violate the quarantine rules could sentenced to up to one year in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won about 8-thousand-100 dollars. Foreigners could be deported."
The South Korean authorities are also on high alert over virus transmissions in hospitals.
A cluster infection at a psychiatric hospital in the city of Daegu has grown to 135 cases, and one patient there a 57-year-old male died on Wednesday.
Also, 43 patients at Asan Medical Center, a major hospital in southern Seoul, have been placed in cohort isolation, meaning a complete lockdown,... after a young patient tested positive.
The authorities said, however, that the center will be up and running in days... now that some five-hundred people that had been in contact with the patient have tested negative.
Kim Ji-yeon, Arirang News.