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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

Korea confirms 48th case of highly pathogenic bird flu

Goyang City announced Jan. 7 it will conduct quarantine in a new way using drones in dangerous areas of avian influenza (AI). YonhapSouth Korea's agricultural ministry said Friday it has confirmed the country's 48th case of highly pathogenic bird flu from a poultry farm, with the spread of the disease among wild birds further straining the country's antivirus fight.The latest case of the malign HN58 strain of bird flu came from a duck farm in Yeongam, 384 kilometers south of Seoul, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.South Korea issued a standstill order on all poultry farms in the region for seven days.Authorities have been looking into a separate case from Muan, 385 kilometers south of Seoul, as well. Both places are in South Jeolla Province. Later in the day, another suspected case was reported from an egg farm in Gimpo, west of Seoul. Test results will come out in one to three days, officials said.The first local infection from farms was found in late November after a hiatus of nearly three years.By region, Gyeonggi Province surrounding Seoul accounte

Jan 8, 2021
Korea confirms 48th case of highly pathogenic bird flu

Pfizer study suggests vaccine works against virus variant

In this Friday, Dec. 11, 2020, file photo, a Pfizer Global Supply Kalamazoo manufacturing plant sign is shown in Portage, Mich. New research suggests that Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine can protect against a mutation found in two contagious variants of the coronavirus that erupted in Britain and South Africa. APNew research suggests that Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine can protect against a mutation found in two highly contagious variants of the coronavirus that erupted in Britain and South Africa.Those variants are causing global concern. They both share a common mutation called N501Y, a slight alteration on one spot of the spike protein that coats the virus. That change is believed to be the reason they can spread so easily.Most of the vaccines being rolled out around the world train the body to recognize that spike protein and fight it. Pfizer teamed with researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston for laboratory tests to see if the mutation affected its vaccine's ability to do so.They used blood samples from 20 people who received the vaccine, made by Pfizer and its

Jan 8, 2021
Pfizer study suggests vaccine works against virus variant

New infection cases at 5-day low

A medical worker in a booth takes a sample from a man at a coronavirus testing site in Seoul, Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021. APSouth Korea's daily new coronavirus cases dropped to a five-day low on Friday on a slowdown in large-scale cluster infections, while authorities are tightening grips on foreign arrivals to block the inflow of a more transmissible virus variant. The country added 674 more COVID-19 cases, including 633 local infections, raising the total caseload to 67,360, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).Friday's caseload was the lowest since Jan. 2, when the figure stood at 657 due largely to less testing over the New Year's holiday. The daily caseload hovered below 1,000 for the fourth consecutive day. Thirty-five people died from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours to raise the death toll to 1,081.Despite the slowing pace of the virus surge helped by preemptive testing and stringent distancing rules, authorities remained vigilant over continued group infections in care centers and churches and the spread of a new virus variant first reported in Britai

Jan 8, 2021
New infection cases at 5-day low

COVID-19 precautions drive down flu cases

A citizen receives a flu vaccine shot at a clinic in Seoul in this October 2020 photo. / YonhapBy Lee Hyo-jin As COVID-19 cases continue to rise here, the number of flu patients is significantly lower this winter compared to last year. Each year, the country grapples with a flu season which usually begins at the end of November, reaching its peak in December and lasting to as late as AprilInfluenza, commonly known as the flu, is a contagious respiratory disease caused by a family of viruses that infect the nose, throat and even lungs in serious cases. Common symptoms of the illness include a high fever, coughing and a sore throat. As it may lead to respiratory complications ― and causes around 2,000 deaths each year according to data from the Korea Disease Prevention and Control Agency (KDCA) ― the health authorities closely monitor the highly contagious virus every season.The authorities have paid closer attention this season out of concerns that a flu surge during the COVID-19 pandemic could put an incredible strain on the public healthcare system. The government had rolled out a m

Jan 8, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
COVID-19 precautions drive down flu cases
  • COVID-19 cases in South Korea below 1,000 for 5th day
  • COVID-19 cases stay below 700 for 3rd day despite steady cluster infections

Detention center inmates sue government over infection

An inmate at the Dongbu Detention Center in southeastern Seoul holds up a piece of paper, which reads “Incompetent justice ministry, incompetent president,” Wednesday, amid growing criticism against the government to its failure to prevent mass infections there. / YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyeFour inmates who were infected with COVID-19 at the Dongbu Detention Center in southeastern Seoul have filed a damage suit against the government, claiming that its bungled management of correctional facilities amid the prolonged pandemic has resulted in the mass infections there.In their lawsuit submitted to the Seoul Central District Court, the four demanded compensation of 10 million won ($9,200) each.The detention center has emerged as one of the biggest COVID-19 hot spots in Korea, having reported more than 1,100 infection cases ― including former and current inmates and correctional officers ― and two deaths, since the first virus case was confirmed there on Nov. 27.Kwak Joon-ho, the lawyer for the plaintiffs, said Thursday the Ministry of Justice had failed to quickly isolate those who

Jan 7, 2021By Jun Ji-hye
Detention center inmates sue government over infection
  • New infection cases under 1,000 for 3rd day

Korea confirms 3 more COVID-19 variant cases, raising total to 15

A medical worker in a booth takes a sample from a man at a coronavirus testing site in Seoul, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. APSouth Korea's health authorities on Thursday confirmed three more cases of a more contagious variant of the new coronavirus that was first identified in Britain, bringing the variant's total caseload to 15. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said the three people, all family members of a COVID-19 patient who was infected with the variant, were confirmed to have the new COVID-19 strain. The patient arrived in South Korea from Britain on Dec. 19 last year. The KDCA said it is also conducting further tests on another family member to confirm whether they have been infected with the COVID-19 variant.The World Health Organization (WHO) said the new variant, referred to as VOC202012/01, was identified through viral genome sequencing.Initial analysis indicates that the variant may spread more readily between people than the original virus, with it maybe up to 70 percent more transmissible than the old variant.On Wednesday, South Korea extended the ban

Jan 7, 2021
Korea confirms 3 more COVID-19 variant cases, raising total to 15
  • New infection cases under 1,000 for 3rd day

New infection cases under 1,000 for 3rd day

A medical worker in a booth takes a sample from a man at a coronavirus testing site in Seoul, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. APKorea's daily new coronavirus cases stayed below 1,000 for the third consecutive day on Thursday amid signs of a slowdown, and the government eased virus curbs on indoor sports facilities in response to growing complaints from small business owners.The country added 870 more COVID-19 cases, including 833 local infections, raising the total caseload to 66,688, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).Wednesday's daily caseload was up from 840 on Tuesday and 714 on Monday, but sharply fell from 1,020 on Sunday. The average daily new cases stood at 863.7 and the reproduction rate stayed slightly below 1 over the past week.Nineteen people died from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours to raise the death toll to 1,046.Health authorities said the virus curve has been slowly flattening thanks to preemptive testing and social distancing rules, but they remained vigilant over continued group infections in care centers and churches and the spread of a new

Jan 7, 2021
New infection cases under 1,000 for 3rd day
  • Korea confirms 3 more COVID-19 variant cases, raising total to 15
  • Detention center inmates sue government over infection

Correctional staff to be tested for virus weekly, more facilities to undergo mass testing

An unnamed inmate at Dongbu Detention Center in southern Seoul shows a paper blaiming the country's justice ministry, Wednesday afternoon. YonhapThe government said Wednesday that it will test correctional facility employees nationwide on a weekly basis to slow or eliminate the spread of COVID-19.According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), all staff working at the facilities will undergo the quick antigen tests that produce results in 30 minutes; although these are less accurate than polymerase chain reaction (PCR) laboratory tests.As part of additional efforts to combat the virus, every inmate will be given a KF94 mask on a daily basis.In recent months, the country's prisons have emerged as one of the biggest infection clusters for COVID-19 . According to the Ministry of Justice, 1,203 former and current inmates and correctional employees have been infected with the virus as of 5 p.m. Wednesday, since the first COVID-19 case was confirmed at the Dongbu Detention Center in southeastern Seoul, Nov. 27. Of the tally, the Dongbu center has been responsible for t

Jan 6, 2021
Correctional staff to be tested for virus weekly, more facilities to undergo mass testing

Korea extends UK flight ban for two more weeks

Passengers arrive at JFK International Airport in New York City from a flight from London last week, amid new restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Reuters-YonhapThe government decided Wednesday to extend its suspension of direct flights from Britain for two more weeks to block a more transmissible coronavirus variant first detected there from entering the country.The health authorities have confirmed a total of 11 cases of the new strain, most recently two cases Tuesday, and one case of a separate variant spreading in South Africa.“The ban on flights from Britain has been extended for two weeks until Jan. 21,” the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Initially imposed Dec. 23, the flight ban was until the end of the year, but was extended Dec. 28 until Thursday.The KDCA reported 840 more COVID-19 cases for Tuesday, including 809 local infections, raising the total caseload to 65,818.The daily cases stayed below 1,000 for the second consecutive day amid signs of a slowdown, while nursing homes and churches continued to be hot spots for COVID-

Jan 6, 2021
Korea extends UK flight ban for two more weeks

Korea culls 13.6 million poultry as avian influenza cases soar

Health workers in protective suits cull ducks after the H5N8 bird flu strain was detected, in Karuvatta of Alapuzha district some 90 kilometers from Kochi, India, Wednesday. AFP-YonhapThe agriculture ministry said Wednesday it has completed culling 13.6 million poultry as a preventive measure against the rising number of highly pathogenic avian influenza cases at local farms.Under the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' quarantine guidelines, all birds within a 3-kilometer radius of infected farms should be culled. They included 10.8 million chickens.The ministry confirmed an outbreak of the highly contagious H5N8 strain of bird flu at a duck farm in Eumseong, 131 kilometers south of Seoul.It has so far found 47 cases of the bird flu strain on local farms since late November.The government said it has issued a seven-day standstill order for all poultry farms in the county on top of culling the birds.Of the total reported cases at farms so far, Gyeonggi Province, surrounding Seoul, has accounted for 12, trailed by South Jeolla Province with 10. The number of cases reporte

Jan 6, 2021
Korea culls 13.6 million poultry as avian influenza cases soar
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