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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.

Number of COVID-19 hospitals to be reduced amid signs of slowdown

Officials disinfect an artificial croquet lawn in Seoul, Thursday, in preparation for its reopening after the government eased its social distancing measures for some facilities imposed due to the spread of COVID-19. /YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiThe government has decided to reduce the number of hospitals specially designated to treat COVID-19 patients nationwide in response to the falling number of confirmed cases here, the health authorities said Thursday.The administration had designated 67 hospitals with 7,500 beds to treat the virus patients. Of those, 12 hospitals reporting no new cases were removed from the list. The second batch of cuts will be carried out by the end of the month for long-stay hospitals or rehabilitation centers that are not suitable for treating patients with such an infectious disease over the long term. Eleven hospitals with a utilization rate of under 5 percent will also be removed from the list. The government said it is aiming to reduce the number of beds for COVID-19 patients to less than 2,300 by next month in four phases, noting that those beds will be utili

Apr 23, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji

Vietnamese man caught working illegally at farm during quarantine period

GettyimagesbankBy Jung Min-hoA Vietnamese man has been caught working illegally at a farm in Korea during a mandatory self-quarantine period, police said Thursday.According to the North Jeolla provincial government and police, the man, 21, who had left his residence in Jeonju without reporting to authorities, was found working illegally at a farm in the neighboring city of Namwon during a 14-day isolation period.The man, who was ordered to quarantine himself on arrival in Korea on April 9, made about 500,000 won ($410) working there for five days from April 16, police said.The Ministry of Justice is expected soon to decide whether to deport him. He is now waiting for the decision at a quarantine facility at Chonbuk National University.The government has maintained a no-tolerance stance toward those who do not follow self-isolation rules over COVID-19, saying any foreigner who violates them will be expelled. Local violators could face up to a year in prison or a maximum fine of 10 million won.

Apr 23, 2020By Jung Min-ho
Vietnamese man caught working illegally at farm during quarantine period
  • Another Vietnamese citizen violates self-quarantine rules: authorities

Two pet cats test positive for COVID-19 in New York

A cat is examined at the San Diego Humane Society clinic on April 21. Two cats in New York state have become the first pets in the United States to test positive for the new coronavirus, officials said Thursday (KST). AFPBy Jung Min-hoTwo cats in New York state are the first pets in the United States to test positive for COVID-19, according to U.S. federal agencies Thursday (KST).The animals, which are from separate areas of the state, showed mild respiratory symptoms and are expected to make a full recovery, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a joint statement with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.“Public health officials are still learning about SARS-CoV-2, but there is no evidence that pets play a role in spreading the virus in the United States,” the statement said. “Therefore, there is no justification in taking measures against companion animals that may compromise their welfare.”A veterinarian tested the first cat after it showed mild respiratory symptoms. No humans in the household contracted the virus. Officials say it is po

Apr 23, 2020By Jung Min-ho
Two pet cats test positive for COVID-19 in New York

S. Korea reports 8 more cases of new coronavirus, total at 10,702

South Korea reported another single-digit number of new coronavirus cases Thursday, as the country's strict social distancing campaign and enhanced quarantine measures have helped contain the spread of the virus.The country added eight new virus cases, bringing the nation's total infections to 10,702, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The figure marks a drastic drop from the Feb. 29 peak of 909 new cases. The country confirmed its first COVID-19 infection on Jan. 20. Of the eight cases detected Wednesday, four were imported.The nation's death toll from the coronavirus rose by two to 240, the authorities said.The overall fatality rate reached 2.24 percent. The figure, however, reached 23.5 percent for patients in their 80s and above.In total, 8,411 virus patients in South Korea have been discharged from hospitals, up 134 from a day earlier. The country has carried out tests on 583,971 people since Jan. 3.The number of new infections continued to slow in Daegu, the nation's worst virus-hit region that accounts for around 64 percent of the total c

Apr 23, 2020
S. Korea reports 8 more cases of new coronavirus, total at 10,702

Gov't bracing for second wave of coronavirus outbreak in winter

A cashier at an E-mart store in Daegu works behind a sneeze guard, a new private initiative by the company to prevent possible spread of the COVID-19, Wednesday./ YonhapBy Kim Se-jeongThe likelihood of a COVID-19 pandemic recurrence this fall or winter is high and the government is preparing for a worst case scenario, Jung Eun-kyeong, director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), said Wednesday.“The possibility is quite high for a second wave of the pandemic to hit us this fall or winter when people's immune systems are depressed, and we don't as yet have vaccines or treatments available for then,” Jung said during a daily press briefing at the Sejong Government Complex. “The government is preparing for the worst case scenario where public medical services collapse.” Her comments came the day after the KCDC reported 11 new COVID-19 infections bringing the total number of cases here to 10,694, with 238 fatalities as of Tuesday. Among the 11, six were people who recently returned to Korea from overseas. Regarding people who had recover

Apr 22, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
Gov't bracing for second wave of coronavirus outbreak in winter
  • Gov't to set up 1,000 clinics for 2nd wave of outbreak

Jeju, Gangwon on alert over upcoming holidays

Kiteboarders play in the waves in the waters off Hamdeok Beach on Jeju Island, Tuesday. / YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyeJeju and Gangwon provinces, which have many popular vacation spots, are on high alert as many tourists are expected to visit the areas during the upcoming holidays despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, municipal administration officials said Wednesday.Many Koreans are set to enjoy a long weekend with Buddha's Birthday on April 30, Labor Day on May 1 and Children's Day on May 5, which will give them a chance to take time off for up to six days. The Jeju Tourism Association (JTA) expects the number of daily visitors to the southern resort island during the holiday period to reach around 24,000. The estimated number is less than the more than 40,000 recorded during last year's holiday season, but is much higher compared to figures tallied in March. The number of daily visitors to the island fell to 11,640 ― this year's lowest figure ― March 30, according to the association. Increasing travel demand to the resort island has led to a rise in the prices of flight tickets ― the tick

Apr 22, 2020
Jeju, Gangwon on alert over upcoming holidays

Virus from relapse cases not highly infectious: KCDC

Jeong Eun-kyeong. YonhapSouth Korea's health authorities said Wednesday the novel coronavirus detected from the country's relapse cases appears to be not very infectious or transmissible.Of the 39 culture tests using samples collected from people who retested positive for COVID-19 after making full recoveries, six were completed and all tested negative for the novel coronavirus, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC)."Although their polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests were positive, they tested negative after being cultivated in isolation, meaning the viruses from relapse cases have very low or no infectious power," KCDC chief Jeong Eun-kyeong said.Asked whether COVID-19 patients should be released from quarantine based on results from culture tests instead of PCR tests, Jeong said such method lacks effectiveness."Most countries decide on the release of a patient using PCR test results," she said. "Culture tests take two weeks or more and they require lots of resources, so it is not realistic to use them to determine whether to release a patient."J

Apr 22, 2020
Virus from relapse cases not highly infectious: KCDC

Another Vietnamese citizen violates self-quarantine rules: authorities

GettyimagesbankBy Jung Min-hoAnother Vietnamese citizen has broken self-quarantine rules just a few days after the government decided to deport three Vietnamese students for violating the regulations.According to the North Jeolla provincial government and police Wednesday, the Vietnamese man, 21, who was ordered to isolate himself at his residence in Jeonju, has disappeared.After reporting the case to the city's immigration office, police are now looking for him.The man, who entered Korea on April 9, left his mobile phone at the residence in an apparent attempt to avoid GPS tracking by health officials, an official said.“He turned on the self-quarantine app at around 11:25 a.m. on April 21 before disappearing,” the official told News1, a local news agency. “After losing contact with him, we visited his place with police and realized he was gone.”Three Vietnamese students who arrived in Korea between March 28 and April 1 were ordered to leave the country after visiting a park in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, in violation of the 14-day self-isolation rules.

Apr 22, 2020By Jung Min-ho
Another Vietnamese citizen violates self-quarantine rules: authorities
  • Vietnamese man caught working illegally at farm during quarantine period

Korea reports fewer than 15 virus cases for 4th day

South Korea reported fewer than 15 new cases of the novel coronavirus for the fourth day in a row on Wednesday, but health authorities still remain wary of an increase in new infections amid the eased social distancing campaign. YonhapSouth Korea reported fewer than 15 new cases of the novel coronavirus for the fourth day in a row on Wednesday, but health authorities still remain wary of an increase in new infections amid the eased social distancing campaign.The country detected 11 new COVID-19 infections on Tuesday, bringing the nation's total infections to 10,694, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The total number came to 10,694.Six of the newly added cases were imported, the data showed.The country announced a single-digit increase in cases Sunday for the first time in two months at eight, followed by 13 cases the following day and nine on Tuesday.The plateauing figures mark a drastic drop from the Feb. 29 peak of 909 new cases. The country confirmed its first COVID-19 infection on Jan. 20.Seoul said it has formed a task force composed of va

Apr 22, 2020
Korea reports fewer than 15 virus cases for 4th day

COVID-19 shows flattening trend

A COVID-19 test center at the Seoul Medical Center compound in Jungnang-gu in the capital is empty as the government announced only nine new cases, Tuesday./ YonhapBy Kim Se-jeongKorea logged a single-digit increase in the number of new coronavirus infection cases Monday, the latest sign that the highly contagious virus has largely been tamed here, according to the Korea Centers for Infectious Disease Control (KCDC) Tuesday. This raised the total number of infections to 10,683 with a death toll of 237.On Sunday, the KCDC said there were eight new infection cases a day earlier, the first single-digit increase in two months. Among nine new cases, five involved people who came from overseas which brought the total number of imported cases up to 1,011. Korea reported its first case on Jan. 20, and by Feb. 29, the new daily count reached 909. As the public social distancing campaign is now extended to May 5, the government on Tuesday said public facilities with lower risks of infection would reopen today. “Places like arboretums and recreational forests will open Wednesday. Outdoor

Apr 21, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
COVID-19 shows flattening trend
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