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'Africa can share clinical experience on monkeypox with Korea': Africa CDC interim chief

Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, acting director of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) speaks during an interview with The Korea Times in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of Korea-Africa FoundationTop disease expert stresses bilateral collaboration By Lee Hyo-jin Partnerships between Korea and Africa in the healthcare sector will go beyond the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as the two sides seek to bolster collaboration in responding to emerging diseases, said Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, acting director of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Tuesday.During his four-day visit to Korea, he sat down for an interview with The Korea Times to talk about how the African and Korean health authorities can scale up cooperation in order to overcome the ongoing pandemic and be better prepared for future health crises.“Our partnership with Korea started even before the pandemic. We were already working closely with the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) on hepatitis. And during the pandemic, the partnerships have expanded very rapidly,” he said. Throu

Jun 22, 2022By Lee Hyo-jin
'Africa can share clinical experience on monkeypox with Korea': Africa CDC interim chief

Yoon calls for strengthening measures against inflow of monkeypox

President Yoon Suk-yeol / YonhapPresident Yoon Suk-yeol called Wednesday for stronger measures against the inflow of monkeypox after the country reported its first two suspected cases the previous day, an official said.Yoon instructed health authorities to strengthen quarantine measures for foreign arrivals and to thoroughly monitor the possibility of additional cases, the presidential official told reporters.Yoon also told health authorities "to be fully ready to swiftly deploy the available vaccines and treatments to the medical front-lines and to complete the introduction of third-generation vaccines and antiviral treatments against monkeypox as soon as possible," the official said.Health authorities have been conducting diagnostic tests on the two suspected cases and are expected to announce the results later Wednesday.One of the suspected patients is a foreigner who arrived in the country Monday, while the other is a Korean national who arrived Tuesday, they said.The foreign national was admitted to a hospital in the southeastern city of Busan after complaining of a sore throat,

Jun 22, 2022
Yoon calls for strengthening measures against inflow of monkeypox

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases below 10,000 for 13th day

People relax by Cheonggye Stream in central Seoul, June 21. South Korea's new COVID-19 cases came below the 10,000 mark for the 13th consecutive day. YonhapSouth Korea's new COVID-19 cases came below the 10,000 mark for the 13th consecutive day Tuesday as the Omicron variant slows. Meanwhile the authorities were examining two possible monkeypox cases in what could be the first outbreak in the country.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 8,992 new infections, including 106 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18,298,341. There were 11 more deaths from the disease, the KDCA said, putting the toll at 24,474 for a fatality rate of 0.13 percent. The number of critically ill patients came to 64, down from 68 the previous day. (Yonhap)

Jun 22, 2022
South Korea's new COVID-19 cases below 10,000 for 13th day

Korea confirms 1st case of monkeypox infection

Test tubes labelled "Monkeypox virus positive and negative" are seen in this May 23 photo. Reuters-YonhapKorea confirmed its first case of monkeypox infection Wednesday, prompting concerns over the possibility of the spread of the virus causing the disease.According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), a person who arrived at Incheon International Airport from Germany at 4 p.m. Tuesday, tested positive for the virus. The patient has been in isolation treatment at Incheon Medical Center, west of Seoul, since then.The KDCA raised the monkeypox risk level from "attention" to "caution" and decided to bolster measures against any spread of the virus. A foreign visitor who was hospitalized in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul, after showing possible symptoms of monkeypox, tested negative. The person arrived in Korea, Monday, and was admitted to the Busan hospital Tuesday. The virus, traditionally confined to regions in Central and Western Africa, can cause symptoms that include fever, chills, rashes and lesions.The country has been vigilant against a potential

Jun 22, 2022
Korea confirms 1st case of monkeypox infection

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases below 10,000 for 12th day amid Omicron slowdown

New conscripts salute their families at a boot camp in Hwacheon, Gangwon Province, June 20, during a ceremony to mark the beginning of five weeks of basic military training. The COVID-19 pandemic has prevented family members from attending such ceremonies for more than two years. YonhapNew COVID-19 cases stayed below 10,000 for the 12th day, Monday, marking a steady decline in the virus curve amid the slowdown in the spread of the Omicron variant.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said there were 9,310 new infections, including 76 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18,289,373. The latest tally is more than double the previous day's 3,538, but the daily counts tend to fall sharply Sunday due to fewer tests before climbing back Monday. The public health agency reported 12 more deaths, putting the toll at 24,463 for a fatality rate of 0.13 percent. The number of critically ill patients came to 68, down from 72 the previous day. South Korea has managed to bring down the daily infection numbers at a steady pace, after the country suffered its worst wave of t

Jun 21, 2022
South Korea's new COVID-19 cases below 10,000 for 12th day amid Omicron slowdown

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases hit over 5-month low as Omicron slows

People enjoy a vacation at Gangmun Beach in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, June 19. YonhapNew COVID-19 cases fell to their lowest level in more than five months Sunday, partly due to fewer tests over the weekend, but also providing a clear indication that the spread of the Omicron variant is slowing.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) added 3,538 new infections, including 96 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18,280,090. Sunday's figure marks the lowest since the 3,094 reported for Jan. 10. Daily infection numbers tend to drop over weekends due to fewer tests. The KDCA reported 10 more deaths from COVID-19, putting the toll at 24,451 for a fatality rate of 0.13 percent. The number of critically ill patients came to 72, up from 70 the previous day. The slowing Omicron trend has brought down the daily infection numbers, mostly to the four-digit range, since earlier this month, after the country came out of the worst wave that sent cases to peak at over 620,000 in mid-March. But the government last Friday decided to retain the seven-day self-isolation mandate

Jun 20, 2022
South Korea's new COVID-19 cases hit over 5-month low as Omicron slows

New COVID-19 cases below 10,000 for 10th day

People wait to receive COVID-19 tests at a testing center in southern Seoul, June 17. YonhapSouth Korea's new COVID-19 cases stayed below 10,000 for the 10th straight day Sunday, with fewer tests conducted over the weekend amid the slowing spread of the virus.The country added 6,071 infections, including 83 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18,276,552, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.Of the locally transmitted cases, Seoul accounted for 1,107 cases, with the surrounding Gyeonggi Province reporting 1,399 cases. Busan, the country's second largest city, reported 343 more infections.The tally marked a fall from 7,198 on Friday and 6,842 on Saturday. Sunday's count was also the lowest in 22 weeks since Jan. 16.The KDCA reported 14 more deaths, raising the death toll to 24,441. The fatality rate stood at 0.13 percent.The number of critically ill patients came to 70, down from 71 the previous day, the agency added.As of 9 p.m., the country had reported 3,376 new infections, down 2,384 from the same time a day earlier, according to local governm

Jun 19, 2022
New COVID-19 cases below 10,000 for 10th day

Space rocket Nuri to be moved to launch pad Monday as planned

Korea's Nuri space rocket is being raised into position at the Naro Space Center in Goheung, some 470 kilometers south of Seoul, June 15. Courtesy of the Korea Aerospace Research InstituteSouth Korea's homegrown space rocket Nuri will be moved to the launch pad early Monday as planned for its scheduled launch the following day, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute said Sunday.The institute canceled its initial plan to launch Nuri, also known as KSLV-II, last Thursday after a part in the oxidizer tank sensor was seen malfunctioning during a final pre-launch checkup at the launch pad in Naro Space Center in Goheung, a southern coastal village some 470 kilometers south of Seoul. The launch was rescheduled to Tuesday after aerospace engineers replaced the malfunctioning part.Nuri will be transported from the assembly building to the launch pad at 7:20 a.m., the aerospace institute decided in a meeting of the flight test committee.The liftoff is likely to take place at 4 p.m. Tuesday, but the time could change, officials said.According to the weather agency, no rain has been forecast in

Jun 19, 2022
Space rocket Nuri to be moved to launch pad Monday as planned

Too early to consider lifting self-isolation rule: experts

People stand in line to be tested for COVID-19 at a screening center in Seocho District, Seoul, June 17. YonhapGov't decides to extend quarantine mandate for 4 more weeksBy Lee Hyo-jin The government has decided to extend the self-isolation mandate for COVID-19 patients for another four weeks, but medical experts pointed out that it is premature to remove the restriction next month. The Central Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters said Friday the seven-day self-quarantine mandate for COVID-19 virus carriers will be extended through July 20, due to concerns over a possible resurgence of infections if the rule is removed.The decision came as the government has been reviewing the possibility of scrapping the self-quarantine rule over the past two months. After downgrading the infectious disease classification of the coronavirus to Level 2 in late April, the health ministry said it will decide whether to ease the self-isolation rule on May 20, after a four-week interim period. But the plan was delayed for another four weeks due to the unstable virus situation.Announcing its latest decis

Jun 19, 2022By Lee Hyo-jin
Too early to consider lifting self-isolation rule: experts

Korea plans to launch space rocket June 21 following cancellation over tech glitch

The Korea Space Launch Vehicle-II (KSLV-II), also called Nuri, is moved back from the launch pad to the assembly building of the Naro Space Center in Goheung, some 470 km south of Seoul, on June 15, in this photo provided by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute. YonhapKorea plans to launch its locally developed space rocket next week, after a last-minute technical glitch in the oxidizer tank sensor forced the country to call off the rocket launch this week, officials said Friday.The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) canceled Thursday's scheduled launch of Nuri, also known as KSLV-II, after the sensor was seen malfunctioning during a final pre-launch checkup at the launch pad in Naro Space Center in Goheung, a southern coastal village some 470 kilometers south of Seoul, on Wednesday. "We plan to hold a launch management committee to pursue the second launch (of Nuri) on June 21," Kwon Hyun-joon, an official at the science ministry, said.The ministry has set the period through June 23 as the launch window.According to Kwon, KARI engineers have identified the problematic

Jun 17, 2022
Korea plans to launch space rocket June 21 following cancellation over tech glitch
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