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Fears growing over new wave of COVID-19 amid soaring infections

A citizen is tested for coronavirus at a temporary facility at Dongdaemun Market in Seoul, Friday, following an outbreak at the marketplace. / YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyeCOVID-19 has spread rapidly in Seoul and neighboring areas in recent days due to sporadic outbreaks at churches, large-scale marketplaces and fast food branches, renewing concerns over a new wave of the contagion, according to health authorities Friday.New daily cases in the country exceeded 100 the previous day for the first time in about 20 days, with the number of locally transmitted infections jumping to an over-four-month high.Amid the worsening situation, authorities are considering raising the level of social distancing to prevent further transmission of the contagious disease. According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), the country added 103 cases including 85 locally transmitted ones, Thursday, taking the total caseload to 14,873.The number of newly identified infections increased rapidly from 56 detected Wednesday and 54 Tuesday, while the number of locally transmitted infections was t

Aug 14, 2020
Fears growing over new wave of COVID-19 amid soaring infections

SK Biopharmaceuticals reports loss in 1st earnings call after IPO

An SK Biopharmaceuticals researcher examines an unidentified substance at the drug maker's lab in Gyeonggi Province in this undated file photo. Courtesy of SK BiopharmaceuticalsXCOPRI shows fast growth in US marketBy Nam Hyun-wooSK Biopharmaceuticals posted an expanded operating loss in its first earnings call after its successful initial public offering (IPO) last month, according to the company, Friday.Though the numbers failed to live up to investors' high expectations, sales coming from its epilepsy treatment XCOPRI demonstrated fast growth, casting a rosy outlook on its future profitability, analysts said.According to the SK Group unit, it posted 2.1 billion won ($1.77 million) in sales and 57.8 billion won in operating loss for the second quarter of this year. The sales declined by 68.26 percent year-on-year, and it turned to a loss from a 37.3 billion won operating profit in the second quarter of last year. The company said, however, the second-quarter operating loss is an improvement of 11.2 percent from that of the first quarter, as it managed to cut sales and marketing expe

Aug 14, 2020By Nam Hyun-woo
SK Biopharmaceuticals reports loss in 1st earnings call after IPO

Conservative Protestant churches vow to stop passage of anti-discrimination law

By Park Ji-wonThe United Christian Churches of Korea (UCCK), a major conservative Protestant group, has started all-out efforts to stop the passage of an anti-discrimination law that was recently proposed again. The anti-discrimination law has been proposed regularly since 2007, but has never passed due to powerful vocal opposition from conservative churches.The UCCK, considered the largest coalition of Protestant churches here, consists of 30 denominations and includes 56,000 individual churches. According to the UCCK's website and media reports, the group held a prayer meeting Wednesday, and later discussed forming a committee and take action to stop the legislation of the act. “An anti-discrimination bill was proposed by the Justice Party at the National Assembly and the National Human Rights Commission of Korea is recommending the legislation of so-called laws on equality… Facing the grim reality, the coalition and groups of Korean churches joined hands to hold a regular prayer meeting and form a committee on the matter so that they can handle the situation and oppos

Aug 14, 2020By Park Ji-won
Conservative Protestant churches vow to stop passage of anti-discrimination law

Doctors launch nationwide strike, some service disruption inevitable

Lights on an entire floor of a building in Busan comprising of medical clinics is turned off, Friday, with an “On Vacation” notification sign displayed at the floor entrance door. YonhapDoctors launched a one-day strike across South Korea on Friday in protest of the government's medical reform plan, with some disruptions expected to be inevitable.The walkout is part of the Korea Medical Association (KMA)'s strong opposition to the government's plan to raise admission quotas at medical schools.Among the participants of the walkout are practitioners at small clinics and some trainee doctors, such as interns and residents, at general hospitals, the KMA said. Still, doctors who work in essential fields, such as intensive care units, surgery and emergency rooms, continue to be on normal duty.Health authorities said they expected no major disruptions, as hospitals mobilized alternative health workers, and doctors in vital departments have not participated in the walkout."We will make sure that there is no service setback by arranging alternative workforce in each department," s

Aug 14, 2020
Doctors launch nationwide strike, some service disruption inevitable

Local virus cases at over 4-month high, strict social distancing under review

Youths queue up at Ulsan Bukgu Public Health Center in Ulsan's Buk-gu District, Thursday, to receive a checkup on possible COVID-19 infection. YonhapThe number of daily local virus cases in South Korea jumped to an over 4-month high on Friday as sporadic clusters in the greater Seoul area piled up, forcing health authorities to consider raising the level of social distancing to stem further spread.The country's new daily coronavirus cases, including 85 locally transmitted ones, reached 103 on Friday, raising the total caseload to 14,873, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The number of newly identified local infections marks the most since 88 on March 31.The daily tally nearly doubled from 56 new virus cases reported Thursday and also marked the highest level since July 25, when new virus cases reached 113.Domestic infections have recently bounced back as cases mostly linked to sporadic clusters in Seoul and adjacent areas jumped.The KCDC warned that the greater Seoul area is teetering on the brink of another spike in virus cases and that the ea

Aug 14, 2020
Local virus cases at over 4-month high, strict social distancing under review

More people hit by coronavirus blues

People suffering anxiety, fear and depression due to the COVID-19 pandemic are on the rise/gettyimagesbankBy Kim Se-jeong The COVID-19 pandemic is causing more people to suffer from anxiety, fear and depression.According to the National Center for Disease Trauma (NCDT), over 370,000 people have received counseling related to COVID-19 in the last six months, more than the annual total of 350,000 cases reported to the Ministry of Health and Welfare last year.Chung Un-sun from the psychiatric department of Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital said she has seen more patients asking for help following the pandemic. “Many people are affected by the pandemic and their fear and anxiety play out differently depending on situation they're in,” Chung said.She said the pandemic hit women who are in the position of caregiving hard. “Because of the pandemic, people spend more time at home and when there's an issue in the family, the tension at home increases. Often mothers and wives blame themselves for the problem and can't sleep because of it which only worsens their

Aug 13, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
More people hit by coronavirus blues

Doctors to go on nationwide strike Friday

A woman enters a dermatology clinic in Seoul, Thursday, while an attached notice reads that the clinic will be closed for four days starting today. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, doctors at 21.3 percent of the country's hospitals, including local clinics, declared they would join a nationwide strike scheduled for today. / YonhapBy Lee Hyo-jinThousands of doctors are expected to hold a nationwide walkout Friday, in protest of the government's plan to increase medical student quotas, according to the Korean Medical Association (KMA), Thursday.The exact number of doctors planning to participate in the strike is unknown, but according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, 7,039 out of 30,331 hospitals, accounting for 21.3 percent of the medical institutions in the country, have declared their intent to join the walkout as of Wednesday. The KMA, which has 130,000 members, said essential departments such as emergency rooms and intensive care units will not be closed. The government will notify the public regarding the hospitals that will be open during the strike through

Aug 13, 2020By Lee Hyo-jin
Doctors to go on nationwide strike Friday

Lotteria under fire for negligent response to coronavirus infections

A woman passes by a notice of a temporary shutdown posted at the entrance of Lotteria's Gunja branch, Wednesday. At least 11 Lotteria employees have tested positive for COVID-19 since Tuesday. / Yonhap By Jun Ji-hyeLotteria, the fast-food chain of retail giant Lotte, has come under criticism for its bungled management of a COVID-19 outbreak that occurred among its employees, which is raising concerns over the possibility of a bigger outbreak.According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), at least 11 employees, including managers, from eight Lotteria branches in Seoul have been confirmed as infected as of noon Thursday. The number is expected to continue increasing as authorities are carrying out an epidemiological investigation to find out who else may have come into contact with the patients.The infection spread at a get-together of Lotteria employees on Aug. 6, during which time they discussed measures to improve work performance and had

Aug 13, 2020
Lotteria under fire for negligent response to coronavirus infections

Schools under rising COVID-19 threat as more students catch virus

A no-entry sign on a road leading to Chungok Middle School in Ulsan, Thursday. The school was shut after a student tested positive for coronavirus. YonhapA recent rise in coronavirus cases among high school students has raised the alarm about a bigger risk to school safety, as more schools are considering larger in-person instruction in the fall semester.According to health officials and municipal governments on Thursday, five high school students in Yongin, south of Seoul, have tested positive this week.The first was confirmed to have the virus on Monday, and four more ― one classmate and three from a different school ― were confirmed the next day. All five are friends.In a separate case, a high school student who lives in Goyang, northwest of Seoul, tested positive last Wednesday after the student's mother was confirmed earlier in the day to have been infected with the coronavirus. On Thursday, the student's schoolmate also tested positive.In both cases, the teenagers were having in-person classes.While health officials were studying how they became infected, the Ministry of Educat

Aug 13, 2020
Schools under rising COVID-19 threat as more students catch virus

8 more USFK-affiliated Americans test positive for COVID-19

Seven more American service members and a Department of Defense civilian contractor tested positive for the new coronavirus upon their arrivals in South Korea, the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Thursday.Seven more American service members and a Department of Defense civilian contractor tested positive for the new coronavirus upon their arrivals in South Korea, the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Thursday.Of them, three service members arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, on a U.S. government chartered flight while the others arrived at Incheon International Airport, west of the capital, on commercial flights, it said.They are now all at an isolation facility designated for confirmed COVID-19 patients at Camp Humphreys or the Osan base."None of the new arrivals have interacted with anyone residing within USFK installations or the local community," the U.S. military said in a release.The latest cases brought the total number of USFK-related infections to 152, most of which were confirmed upon personnel's arrival here. USFK said it has not recorded an internal positive

Aug 13, 2020
8 more USFK-affiliated Americans test positive for COVID-19
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