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Population mobility unchanged in May amid pandemic

A resident of Daechu-ri village in Paengseong-eup, Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi Province sees her furniture being loaded on a truck as she prepares to move from the town. Korea Times fileThe number of South Koreans who changed residences to different regions remained unchanged in May, data showed Wednesday, as the coronavirus outbreak restricted public movement. The number of people who changed their residences was unchanged from a year ago at 569,000 in May, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea.In April, the figure rose 4.6 percent on-year as the nation eased social distancing rules over the stabilization of the coronavirus outbreak. The population mobility rate ― the number of those changing residences for every 100 people ― was also unchanged at 13.1 percent.South Korea had reported hundreds of new virus cases per day in late February and early March but has appeared to bring the outbreak under control. An apparent stabilization of the outbreak prompted the government to relax social distancing rules in mid-April, but health authorities saw a "second wave" of infections du

Jun 24, 2020
Population mobility unchanged in May amid pandemic

Rise in local infections, imported cases raises total cases to 12,535

Arrivals from abroad leave South Korea's Incheon International Airport, June 23. YonhapSouth Korea's new coronavirus cases spiked again Wednesday as cluster infections in the greater Seoul area and outside the capital continued to increase. A sustained rise in imported cases also put health officials on high alert.The country added 51 cases, including 31 local infections, raising the total caseload to 12,535, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).The tally marked a rise from 46 new cases reported Tuesday and 17 additional cases Monday, the lowest in almost a month.Of the locally transmitted cases, 19 cases were reported in the densely populated Seoul and nearby metropolitan areas. Eight cases were reported in Daejeon, about 160 kilometers south of Seoul.Community spread is the main challenge for health authorities, as sporadic cluster infections have continued to swell since the country relaxed strict social distancing on May 6 on the back of the flattened virus curve.The KCDC said the Seoul metropolitan area is already in the second wave of the new

Jun 24, 2020
Rise in local infections, imported cases raises total cases to 12,535

Outbreak among Russian sailors adds concerns over imported cases

Quarantine officials prepares to move sailors on a Russian refrigeration ship at Gamcheon Port in Busan, Tuesday. /YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiThe health authorities are on high alert after a large number of Russian sailors in a vessel docked in Busan tested positive for COVID-19, Tuesday, while the local spread of the coronavirus pandemic appeared to be slowing down.The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) reported 46 new infections, Monday, bringing the nation's total to 12,484. In addition, one more death was announced, raising this total to 281. Among the 46, 30 were imported cases, 16 of which were on a Russia-flagged refrigeration vessel with 21 crew members. The ship departed from Russia's Vladivostok and arrived at Busan, Friday. The sailors did not disembark, but many local dockworkers had contact with them on the ship, raising concern over a possible infection cluster. Sixteen out of 21 sailors who have been isolated on the ship were tested Monday after the captain who had disembarked in Russia a week ago tested positive. Around 160 dockworkers who came into cont

Jun 23, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji
Outbreak among Russian sailors adds concerns over imported cases

New virus infections bounce back on imported cases

Visitors wearing face masks to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus sit on benches while maintaining social distancing at a park in Seoul, Saturday, June 20, 2020. APSouth Korea's new virus cases bounced back Tuesday due mainly to a surge in imported cases, with most traced to sailors on a Russia-flagged ship docked in the southeastern city of Busan. The spread of the virus in the Seoul metropolitan area and outside the capital continued.The country added 46 cases, including 16 local infections, raising the total caseload to 12,484, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).The tally rebounded from 17 new cases reported Monday, the lowest in almost a month.The country reported 30 additional imported cases, 16 of which were tied to the 3,933-ton Russia-flagged refrigerator vessel with 21 crew. The ship that departed from Russia's Vladivostok is currently at a port in Busan.The crewmembers took virus tests a day earlier, after the captain who got off the ship in Russia a week ago tested positive. Around 160 port workers who came in contact with the i

Jun 23, 2020
New virus infections bounce back on imported cases

16 virus cases reported on Russia-flagged ship docked in Busan

A notice on precautions against the new coronavirus is displayed at a subway station in Korea, Monday, June 22, 2020. APAt least 16 cases of the new coronavirus were reported Monday on a Russia-flagged ship which entered the southeastern port city of Busan late last week, according to health authorities and a union of port workers.Of 21 sailors aboard the 3,401 ton-refrigerator vessel, 16 people tested positive for COVID-19, according to health officials.The ship, which departed from Russia's Vladivostok, arrived at Busan Port on Friday and has been docked at Gamcheon Port in the city since early Sunday.The crewmembers took tests earlier in the day after the Busan authorities were informed that the captain, who returned a week ago to Russia after showing symptoms, tested positive.The 16 patients are isolated inside the ship.Around 160 people who came into contact with the patients are currently in isolation, according to a union of port workers. Most of them are port union workers who boarded the ship to help with unloading and ship repair.At least 34 workers had close contact with t

Jun 23, 2020
16 virus cases reported on Russia-flagged ship docked in Busan

'Seoul could re-impose strict social distancing'

Children enter a kindergarten in Daegu, Monday, maintaining social distancing after the facility reopened following a 122-day shutdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic. / YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyeSeoul Mayor Park Won-soon said Monday that strict social distancing ― enforced nationwide between March 22 and May 5 ― may be re-imposed in the capital if the average daily number of confirmed COVID-19 infections exceeds 30 over the next three days.The comment came amid growing concern about a second wave of infections following a steady rise in infection clusters in the densely populated greater Seoul area that includes the city of Incheon and Gyeonggi Province. “We will have no choice but to return to the previous high-level of physical distancing if the average daily number of new coronavirus cases in Seoul for the next three days exceeds 30, or the occupation rate of hospital beds reaches 70 percent,” Park said during a media briefing. Park cited a warning from health experts that the number of new daily COVID-19 cases in the country could reach 800 soon. “The second wave wil

Jun 22, 2020
'Seoul could re-impose strict social distancing'

Korea to restrict visas for visitors from Pakistan, Bangladesh

People wearing face masks to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus walk in a park in Seoul, Saturday, June 20, 2020. APBy Jung Min-hoThe government will strengthen visa and entry restrictions for visitors from Pakistan and Bangladesh after reporting a surge in new COVID-19 cases imported from the two Asian countries.Under the precautionary measures, set to come into force Tuesday, authorities will not issue new visas to Pakistanis and Bangladeshis except for diplomatic and urgent business purposes. Authorities will also suspend flights from the countries.Health Minister Park Neung-hoo made the announcement Sunday, two days after 31 people were confirmed here to have contracted the coronavirus overseas. Pakistan accounts for 16 cases, followed by Bangladesh (7).“A rise in imported cases increases the burden on quarantine and treatment capacities here,” Park told reporters. “We will continue to keep an eye on the situations in other countries to control the spread of the virus effectively.”The government will also thoroughly check whether E-9 visa holders ha

Jun 22, 2020By Jung Min-ho
Korea to restrict visas for visitors from Pakistan, Bangladesh

S. Korea reports 17 new cases of coronavirus infection

New virus cases in South Korea dipped to a nearly one-month low Monday due mainly to less testing over the weekend, but health authorities are keeping their guard up against cluster infections in the greater Seoul area and other regions, as well as rising imported cases.- S. Korea reports 17 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 12,438- No additional virus deaths, total death toll at 280- 13 more people released after full recovery from coronavirus, total cured patients at 10,881New virus cases in South Korea dipped to a nearly one-month low Monday due mainly to less testing over the weekend, but health authorities are keeping their guard up against cluster infections in the greater Seoul area and other regions, as well as rising imported cases.The country added 17 new cases, including 11 local infections, raising the total caseload to 12,438, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).This was the first time since May 26 that the number of new daily COVID-19 cases fell below 20. It also marks a sharp drop from 67 cases Saturday and 48 cases Sunday

Jun 22, 2020
S. Korea reports 17 new cases of coronavirus infection

Doctors recommend authorities to release virus patients earlier

Bang Ji-hwan, right, head of the National Medical Center, speaks during a press briefing at the medical center building in Seoul, Sunday. YonhapGov't to restrict visas, flights from Pakistan, Bangladesh By Bahk Eun-jiMedical experts recommended on Sunday that health authorities consider reducing the isolation period for COVID-19 patients because the virus is found to be highly contagious only in the early stages. “The risk of transmission of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) was greatest usually during the second week of illness. However, transmission of COVID-19 is greatly reduced after a few days of the onset. It means COVID-19 patients do not have to be isolated for a long period like MERS patients,” said Bang Ji-hwan, head of the National Medical Center's central clinical committee which is composed of medical attendants who have been treating COVID-19 patients. The committee also announced revised health guidelines for COVID-19, and said the authorities could save hospital beds and other resources by doing so. For a virus patient to be released, they currently

Jun 21, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji
Doctors recommend authorities to release virus patients earlier

S. Korea reports 48 new cases of coronavirus infection

- S. Korea reports 48 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 12,421- No additional virus deaths, total death toll now at 280- 12 more people released after full recovery from coronavirus, total cured patients at 10,868South Korea reported 48 new cases of the coronavirus Sunday, down 19 from a day earlier thanks to a fall in imported cases, but local infections rose amid a continuing spread of the virus in the Seoul metropolitan area and the central city of Daejeon.The new cases, 40 of them local infections and eight imported cases, raised the total caseload to 12,421, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).The tally marked a fall from 67 additional cases reported Saturday.The Seoul metropolitan area accounted for most of the newly added virus cases this month.Of the locally transmitted cases, 27 were reported in the densely populated Seoul and nearby metropolitan areas, where around half of the country's 50-million population lives.Ten cases were reported in Daejeon, some 160 km south of Seoul, triggering concerns that a community spread may fur

Jun 21, 2020
S. Korea reports 48 new cases of coronavirus infection
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