my timesThe Korea Times
South Korea

Health

Korea Times
About Us
Introduction
History
Contact Us
Products & Services
Subscribe
E-paper
RSS Service
Content Sales
Site Map
Policy
Code of Ethics
Ombudsman
Privacy Policy
Youth Protection Policy
Terms of Service
Copyright Policy
Family Site
Hankookilbo
Dongwha Group
FacebookXYoutubeInstagram
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 to develop COVID-19 treatments this year, vaccines in 2021

Students show their foreheads for temperature checks before entering classrooms at Jeonnam High School in Gwangju, Wednesday. Schools reopened to about 1.78 million additional students nationwide on the day under the government's third phase of reopenings. / YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyeKorea is aiming to develop treatments for COVID-19 by the end of the year and vaccines by next year, Health and Welfare Minister Park Neung-hoo said Wednesday, vowing to offer full support to promising pharmaceutical companies.“We will fully support promising companies and gather all the abilities of universities, research institutions, hospitals and the government with an aim of developing treatments this year and vaccines next year,” Park said during a meeting of a government committee for COVID-19 treatment and vaccine development.He said the government plans to offer more than 100 billion won ($82 million) in emergency aid through a supplementary budget to achieve the goal.According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), 49 new infections were detected Tuesday, bringing

Jun 3, 2020
Korea to develop COVID-19 treatments this year, vaccines in 2021

2 mysterious inflammatory syndrome cases turned out to be Kawasaki disease: KCDC

Two suspected cases of an unknown inflammatory syndrome in children in South Korea turned out to be Kawasaki disease, health authorities here said Wednesday, amid concerns that the disease may be linked to the novel coronavirus. YonhapTwo suspected cases of an unknown inflammatory syndrome in children in South Korea turned out to be Kawasaki disease, health authorities here said Wednesday, amid concerns that the disease may be linked to the novel coronavirus.The two children ― a 4-year-old girl and a 11-year-old boy ― were reported in Seoul last month for the first time for the disease, named Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C). They have recovered from the disease.The two children were confirmed to have suffered from the rare Kawasaki disease, a syndrome of unknown cause that results in a fever, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The disease occurs in 1 in 10,000 children under the age of 5."Both patients tested negative for COVID-19, and there are no particular factors to suspect the two children were exposed to the virus," K

Jun 3, 2020
2 mysterious inflammatory syndrome cases turned out to be Kawasaki disease: KCDC

Seoul approves use of remdesivir as virus treatment

South Korea's food and drug administration on Wednesday made an emergency decision to allow the use of remdesivir as a treatment for the new coronavirus, paving the way for inbound shipments of the new drug for the first time. AP-YonhapSouth Korea's food and drug administration on Wednesday made an emergency decision to allow the use of remdesivir as a treatment for the new coronavirus, paving the way for inbound shipments of the new drug for the first time.The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said it has decided to allow special imports of the drug using its special measures procedure that allows imports of previously unauthorized substances under special circumstances.South Korea has yet to complete its clinical tests on the new drug, but the ministry earlier said the drug has been proven in many other countries to help reduce the time needed to cure coronavirus patients.The move to allow special imports of remdesivir came on a request from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) to use the drug as a treatment for new coronavirus patients.Ministry officials said

Jun 3, 2020
Seoul approves use of remdesivir as virus treatment

Korea proposes largest-ever extra budget to battle pandemic

South Korea on Wednesday proposed another extra budget plan worth 35.3 trillion won (US$29 billion) that will help key industries cushion the economic blow from the coronavirus pandemic and protect jobs. YonhapSouth Korea on Wednesday proposed another extra budget plan worth 35.3 trillion won (US$29 billion) that will help key industries cushion the economic blow from the coronavirus pandemic and protect jobs. The biggest-ever budget, which is subject to approval from the National Assembly, will raise the total of the nation's stimulus packages to 270 trillion won as the government has stepped up fiscal and monetary responses to the pandemic, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.The third budget follows a second supplementary budget worth 12.2 trillion won in April to fund emergency handouts for households and the first one totaling 11.7 trillion won in March to cope with the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak.It was the first time in 48 years that South Korea drew up a third extra budget in a year, the ministry said. If the bill is approved by the parliament, th

Jun 3, 2020
Korea proposes largest-ever extra budget to battle pandemic

Church-tied virus cases stoke concerns over new wave of infections in greater Seoul

South Korea's new virus cases spiked again Wednesday as cluster infections tied to religious gatherings in the greater Seoul area continued to swell, putting further strain on the country's virus fight. YonhapSouth Korea's new virus cases spiked again Wednesday as cluster infections tied to religious gatherings in the greater Seoul area continued to swell, putting further strain on the country's virus fight.The country added 49 more cases of the new coronavirus, including 46 local infections, raising the total caseload to 11,590, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The densely populated Seoul metropolitan area, home to half of the country's 50 million population, had all but four of the new cases, fueling concerns that a new wave of COVID-19 infections may occur.The daily number of new infections had been slowing, albeit with some ups and downs, since hitting a nearly two-month high of 75 last week.It stayed below 40 for the past four days. Any numbers above the 50 threshold mean South Korea has to seriously consider going back to strict social d

Jun 3, 2020
Church-tied virus cases stoke concerns over new wave of infections in greater Seoul

Expert warns of coronavirus spike in US after mass protests

Johnnie Williams chants with the crowd during a protest in St. Louis on Monday. St. Louis Post-Dispatch via APBy Jung Min-hoHakim Djaballah.Hundreds of Americans died of COVID-19 every day even when most people in the country were under lockdown in one form or another over coronavirus fears.Now, tens of thousands of people are taking to the streets daily to protest against police brutality and racism ― shouting and walking in crowds ― following the alleged murder of George Floyd.Despite all their good intentions, this should worry health authorities around the world, according to an infectious disease expert.“They should be very worried that a serious rebound of infections may well be on its way since it has been several days of protests across the continental USA … I think the influx of new cases would potentially be even more drastic,” Hakim Djaballah, former CEO of the Institut Pasteur Korea, told The Korea Times.“These protesters will run back to their homes and neighborhoods not knowing if they were infected or not. This can easily result in the emergenc

Jun 3, 2020By Jung Min-ho
Expert warns of coronavirus spike in US after mass protests
  • Pandemic forgotten in US amid riots
  • More than 900 US virus deaths in past 24 hours: tracker
  • 'Time for a change': Anti-racism protesters march across US
  • WHO chief warns virus is worsening globally

Gov't maintains high alert on rise of virus cases in metropolitan area

Quarantine officials disinfect areas outside a church in Suwon, south of Seoul, Monday, as church-linked virus cases were reported. YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiThe health authorities urged citizens Tuesday to maintain intense social distancing measures amid the reappearance of new COVID-19 infections in the metropolitan area.The country's fight to contain the coronavirus pandemic is facing yet another difficulty after new infection clusters in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province were connected to small-scale religious gatherings. The cases associated with churches in Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area have emerged as a new source of concern as at least 40 infections have been traced to churches in Incheon and Gyeonggi Province, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) and local government officials.The KCDC said it had found 38 new cases Monday, bringing the country's total to 11,541. Thirty-six were via local transmission, while the other two were traced to recent travelers from overseas ― one from the United States and the other from Kuwait. Among the local

Jun 2, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji
Gov't maintains high alert on rise of virus cases in metropolitan area

China delayed releasing coronavirus info, frustrating WHO

A student wearing a protective face mask to help curb the spread of the new coronavirus waves to teachers as she arrives for the reopening of a primary school in Beijing, Monday, June 1, 2020. APThroughout January, the World Health Organization publicly praised China for what it called a speedy response to the new coronavirus and thanked the Chinese government for sharing the genetic map of the virus ``immediately,.`` But in fact, Chinese officials sat on releasing the genetic map, or genome, of the deadly virus for over a week after multiple government labs had fully decoded it, not sharing details key to designing tests, drugs and vaccines. Strict controls on information and competition within the Chinese public health system were largely to blame, The Associated Press has found from internal documents, emails and dozens of interviews. Health officials only released the genome after a Chinese lab published it ahead of authorities on a virology website on Jan 11. Even then, China stalled for at least two weeks more on giving WHO the details it needed, according to recordings of mult

Jun 2, 2020
China delayed releasing coronavirus info, frustrating WHO

Korea reports 38 more cases of new coronavirus

People wearing masks walk at Myeongdong shopping district amid social distancing measures to avoid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Seoul, May 28, 2020. ReutersSouth Korea's virus fight hit another snag Tuesday as church-linked cluster infections in the Seoul metropolitan area continued to rise ahead of further school reopenings, a key feature of eased social distancing.The country identified 38 more cases of the new coronavirus, including 36 local infections, raising the total caseload to 11,541, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). All of the new domestic cases were reported in Seoul and Incheon, west of Seoul.A string of virus cases traced to churches in Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area have emerged as a new source of concerns as the country is still wrestling with cases tied to nightclubs and a distribution center in the greater Seoul area.But the daily number of new infections appears to be on a downward trend after it hit a nearly two-month high of 75 on Thursday amid spiking cases tied to the logistics center

Jun 2, 2020
Korea reports 38 more cases of new coronavirus

Masks and social distancing work, new analysis finds

People enjoy a warm sunny day in a city park in Montreal, Sunday May 24, 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues in Canada and around the world. The Canadian Press via APMasks and social distancing can help control the coronavirus but hand washing and other measures are still needed, a new analysis finds. Researchers concluded single-layer cloth masks are less effective than surgical masks, while tight-fitting N95 masks provide the best protection. A distance of 1 meter (more than 3 feet) between people lowers the danger of catching the virus, while 2 meters (about 6 1/2 feet) is even better. Eye protection such as eyeglasses or goggles can help too. None of the strategies work perfectly and more rigorous studies are needed, according to the analysis published Monday.With the coronavirus still new, health officials have relied on studies involving its cousins, severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome. The findings come from a systematic review of 44 studies, including seven involving the virus causing COVID-19. The remaining focused on SARS or MERS.``Th

Jun 2, 2020
Masks and social distancing work, new analysis finds
previous page
357358359360361
next page

Most Read in South Korea