Lee Hyo-jin covers the Bank of Korea, the banking industry and broader financial news. Her previous beats include foreign affairs, North Korea and general reporting on Korean society.
COVID-19 drives down food poisoning cases to record low
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By Lee Hyo-jin
By Lee Hyo-jin
The number of food poisoning cases in Korea dropped to a record low in 2020, due mainly to enhanced personal hygiene rules and the restricted operation of mass dining facilities spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
The ministry released a report on the country's food poisoning cases from last year. A total of 178 cases were reported nationwide, down 52 percent from the previous five-year average of 343.
The number of food poisoned patients marked 53 per 1 million people, down 40 percent from a yearly average of 133 patients per million, seen during the previous five years.
The numbers of both cases and patients marked the lowest the government has ever seen during the entire time that it has been collecting relevant data, since 2002, the Ministry noted.
The Ministry viewed that the dramatic decline was attributable to COVID-19-induced measures, including strengthened personal hygiene rules and the closure of mass eating facilities, such as cafeterias in schools and offices.
The limited operation of eateries and the cancellation of local festivals played significant roles in preventing food poisoning as well, it said.
Among the food poisoning cases in different facilities, the biggest number was seen in eateries with 103 cases, but that figure was less than half of the previous five-year annual average of 210. There were 16 cases reported involving school cafeterias, a big decrease from the former yearly average of 34.
“The initial COVID-19 outbreak made people wash their hands frequently and practice good personal hygiene rules, leading to a notable decrease in the number of food poisoning cases, especially from March to May,” the Ministry said in a statement.
The Ministry said that the noticeable decline throughout the summer, when the number of food poisoning cases usually reaches its peak, may be attributable to massive inspections of kindergartens, following a food poisoning case in June at a childcare facility in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province.