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Gov't pushing to make drive-thru testing international standard

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun speaks during a daily COVID-19 response meeting in Seoul, Wednesday. YonhapBy Kim Se-jeong The government is seeking to have its drive-thru testing method, which safely sped up testing procedures for COVID-19 here, as an international standard for testing for the respiratory illness.The health and welfare, and food and drug safety ministries said Wednesday that they would apply to the International Organization for Standardization to get Korea's operational manual for drive-thru testing facilities accepted as a world standard. The drive-thru testing center allows a possible patient to be questioned, examined and have samples collected while remaining in their car. While the first was deployed at Kyungpook National Medical Center in Daegu, Feb. 23, the central government designated the facility developed by the Goyang City Government in Gyeonggi Province as a Korean standard, March 4.The drive-thru testing centers immediately drew the world's attention, and journalists, medical experts, diplomats and other countries sent inquiries to the Korean government

Apr 29, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
Gov't pushing to make drive-thru testing international standard

Jeju, Gangwon to strengthen quarantine for visitors

Tourists pass by Jeju Island's symbolic stone statues wearing face masks at Jeju International Airport, Wednesday, a day before the long weekend begins. The Jeju Special Self-Governing Province is bracing for many visits during the holiday amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. / YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyeJeju Island and Gangwon Province, both popular domestic tourist destinations, will enhance quarantine measures for visitors during the long weekend, bracing for a possible second wave of COVID-19 infections, officials said Wednesday.The “golden holiday” includes Buddha's Birthday on Thursday, International Workers' Day on Friday and Children's Day on May 5, giving people a chance to take up to six days off.Many tourists are expected to visit the tourist towns during the holiday ― as evidenced by most hotels in those regions having been almost fully booked ― with the infections showing signs of a slowdown and the government's social distancing rules being eased.Authorities in the southern resort island of Jeju said visitors with a body temperature over 37.3 degrees Celsius will be

Apr 29, 2020
Jeju, Gangwon to strengthen quarantine for visitors

Goyang stands out for drive-thru testing center

Lee Jae-joon, mayor of Goyang in Gyeonggi Province, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times in his office, April 23. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk By Kim Se-jeong/Kim Eil-chulOn Feb. 20, Mayor Lee Jae-joon of Goyang in Gyeonggi Province sat with his public health department colleagues, directors of local medical centers and infectious diseases experts to discuss how to respond to the fast spread of COVID-19. A couple of days earlier, the super spreader from the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu was confirmed, pushing up the number of new cases fast. In Goyang, people began packing the city's testing centers, with many waiting in long lines to get tested. “The rooms were too small to house all these people while they were waiting. They were vulnerable to infecting each other. We needed to do something,” Mayor Lee said. During that meeting, a medical expert whose identity is unknown proposed an option of testing people in their cars ― he said he had he

Apr 29, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
Goyang stands out for drive-thru testing center

As coronavirus falters, mysterious inflammatory disease emerges in Europe

Italian doctors have reported extraordinarily large numbers of children under the age of nine with severe cases of what appears to be Kawasaki disease. YonhapBy Park Si-sooA mysterious inflammatory syndrome, which European researchers believe is linked to COVID-19, has emerged in the United Kingdom, Spain and Italy. Those infected are children or infants who arrived at hospital with high fevers and swollen arteries, according to reports. There are no confirmed cases of children dying from the syndrome. An extensive investigation by British and Italian medical experts is under way. Italian doctors have reported extraordinarily large numbers of children under the age of nine with severe cases of what appears to be Kawasaki disease. The disease, whose cause is unknown, is associated with fever, skin rashes, swelling of glands, and in severe cases, inflammation of heart arteries.British health secretary Matt Hancock reportedly said the mysterious disease is believed to be linked to the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.“We're not 100 percent sure because some of the people who got i

Apr 29, 2020
As coronavirus falters, mysterious inflammatory disease emerges in Europe

Korea reports 9 more virus cases, total now at 10,761

South Korea reported nine more cases of the new coronavirus Wednesday, bringing the nation's total infections to 10,761. YonhapSouth Korea reported nine more cases of the new coronavirus Wednesday, bringing the nation's total infections to 10,761.It marked the 11th day in a row that the number of new infections stayed at 15 or below, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The figure peaked on Feb. 29 at 909.Health authorities, however, remain vigilant as a long holiday begins this week, which could potentially lead to another cluster infection. Mass infections account for more than 80 percent of COVID-19 cases here.South Koreans will celebrate Buddha's Birthday on Thursday, followed by May Day on Friday and Children's Day on May 5.The rising number of imported cases is another concern for South Korea. Of the newly added cases announced Wednesday, five were imported, raising the country's total number of such cases to 1,061.The nation's death toll from COVID-19 rose by two to 246.In total, 8,922 people in South Korea have recovered from the virus, up

Apr 29, 2020
Korea reports 9 more virus cases, total now at 10,761

Gov't warns of possible second wave of infections during upcoming holidays

Kwon Joon-wook, a senior official in charge of COVID-19 quarantine measures, speaks during a press conference in Sejong, Tuesday. / YonhapBy Kim Se-jeong Korea may face a second wave of the coronavirus infection during the upcoming holidays, which will begin Thursday, as more people are expected to travel and engage in outdoor activities, government officials warned Tuesday. The officials are urging the public to practice social-distancing and follow personal hygiene guidelines when they venture out.“These holidays will be a critical time for the development of the COVID-19 outbreak in Korea because many people are planning to travel and gather together,” said Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip, who is in charge of the government's coronavirus response, during a daily meeting. “As your physical distance shrinks, so does the possibility of the spread of COVID-19. Please don't forget this.”“For the last 100 days, we have faced big and small crises. And we've reached where we are thanks to many citizens who faithfully participated in social-distancing. Yet,

Apr 28, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
Gov't warns of possible second wave of infections during upcoming holidays

Gimhae official under probe for sending inappropriate messages to woman in self-quarantine

A screen capture of an inappropriate message allegedly sent by a Gimhae city officialBy Kim Se-jeong The Gimhae city government will investigate an employee who allegedly sent inappropriate messages to a female resident under self-quarantine amid the COVID-19 pandemic.“Depending on the findings, the city government will decide on a sanction against him,” a city government official said Tuesday, adding that the employee was in a state of shock and had taken a short vacation.The resident had returned from New Zealand and self-quarantined between April 11 and 25, and the city employee was assigned to monitor her ― all arrivals must go into self-quarantine and local government officials near the self-quarantine locations monitor their whereabouts. According to news reports, the two met on April 13 for the first time when he brought her some personal hygiene products, and soon after she began receiving seemingly personal messages. One message allegedly said, “Dear, send me your picture that can show you're at home. You don't have to show your face. I was told to make a s

Apr 28, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
Gimhae official under probe for sending inappropriate messages to woman in self-quarantine

Upcoming consecutive holiday 'watershed moment' in fight against coronavirus

The government is bracing for a possible surge in coronavirus infections.By Park Si-soo A consecutive holiday that will last up to six days is set to begin from Thursday. And the period will be a “watershed moment” in the nation's protracted fight against coronavirus, a top health official said Tuesday. “Exactly 100 days have passed since we had the report of the first case of coronavirus infection,” Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-rip said at a daily media briefing on Tuesday. “The infection curve has flattened significantly with only around 10 new cases reported daily and overall things are getting stabilized.”Kim gave “dedicated health workers and public officials” credit for the improvement, but noted that the “game is not over yet.”“The closer the physical distance among people becomes, the higher the chances of having more new cases,” he said, adding that the upcoming consecutive holiday would become a watershed moment in pandemic management. The government has extended the nationwide strict social campaign u

Apr 28, 2020
Upcoming consecutive holiday 'watershed moment' in fight against coronavirus

Korea needs additional 4.6 trillion won to give relief handouts to every household

Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki speaks during a meeting at National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. YonhapSouth Korea needs an additional 4.6 trillion won (US$3.8 billion) to give coronavirus relief handouts to every household, Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said Tuesday, as part of the government's plans to ease the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. South Korea had originally planned to give relief handouts to households that rank in the bottom 70 percent of gross income, but it changed the plans to provide the handouts to every household. Hong told a parliamentary meeting that most of the additional money will be funded by issuing deficit-covering bonds. The finance ministry seeks to lower the size of deficit-covering bonds by cutting costs and readjusting budget spending, the minister said.Hong also called for lawmakers to swiftly approve the second extra budget bill, saying that the nation's economy is facing an unprecedented crisis in the wake of the pandemic.Under the latest support measure, 1 million won will be given to each household with four or more people. Single-per

Apr 28, 2020
Korea needs additional 4.6 trillion won to give relief handouts to every household

Jeju braces for surge in incoming holiday tourists amid easing pandemic restrictions

Songak Mountain on Jeju Island / YonhapIn the runup to an extended holiday this week, Jeju Island, a famous resort island in South Korea, is stepping up quarantine and pandemic prevention measures as it is bracing for a surge in incoming tourists during the time, officials said Tuesday. The country is only two days away from the longest holiday period since the massive coronavirus outbreaks in late February to early March. Starting on Buddha's Birthday on Thursday, followed by Labor Day the next day, South Koreans will be enjoying as long as a six-day holiday till Children's Day on May 5, the first extended holiday since COVID-19 restricted local trips, gatherings and outdoor activities.As South Korea is gradually loosening social distancing guidelines on the back of the easing of COVID-19 here, combined with ongoing restrictions on overseas trips, nearly 180,000 tourists are expected to visit Jeju Island. Bracing for the hosting of the massive tourist inflows, Jeju Island has announced unusually strict quarantine and virus test plans.Starting on the first day of the long holiday Thu

Apr 28, 2020
Jeju braces for surge in incoming holiday tourists amid easing pandemic restrictions
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