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Korea aiming to release antibody treatment drug for COVID-19 in 2021

Yoon Tae-ho. YonhapSouth Korea seeks to carry out clinical tests on antibody-based treatment for the novel coronavirus within the year, with the aim of releasing a drug in 2021, a senior official said Tuesday.The country is mapping out a governmentwide support system to find a treatment method and vaccine to combat COVID-19."Coming up with a drug and vaccine is the only way to deal with the pandemic," said Yoon Tae-ho, a government official in charge of the quarantine. The large amount of blood samples collected from people infected with the virus in the country will help actual clinical tests on antibody drugs take place before the end of 2020. Also a process of using blood plasma taken from recovered COVID-19 patients may be developed in the next two to three months, as joint work is under way with local biotech companies, according to the official.If meaningful progress is made, actual drugs could come out next year, with a vaccine, to inoculate people from infections, to be made available in late 2021 or 2022, he said.The country has streamlined rules to better secure blood sampl

Apr 14, 2020
Korea aiming to release antibody treatment drug for COVID-19 in 2021

China censors research on coronavirus origins

A security guard wearing a facemask amid the concerns over COVID-19 closes a gate outside the Forbidden City in Beijing on April 12, 2020. AFPBy Jung Min-hoChina's government censors research on the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, which has so far killed nearly 120,000 people around the world.According to a cached version of the notice from China University of Geosciences in Wuhan, where COVID-19 was first reported in December, all studies now must be approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology before publication.“Academic papers on the traceability of the new coronavirus must be reviewed by the academic committee of the school before publication, focusing on the authenticity of the paper and whether it is suitable for publication,” the notice says.“After the review is passed, the school reports to the Ministry of Science and Technology, and can only be published after the review by the Ministry of Science and Technology.”Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian speaks at the daily media briefing in Beijing on April 8, 2020. AFPThe move follo

Apr 14, 2020By Jung Min-ho
China censors research on coronavirus origins

Three coronavirus vaccine candidates in clinical trials: WHO

 By Park Si-sooSeventy coronavirus vaccines are in development globally, with three candidates already being in clinical trials, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.Leading the race is Hong Kong-listed CanSino Biologics Inc. and the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, which are jointly developing an experimental vaccine, which is in phase II trials. The other two being tested on humans are being developed separately by U.S. drugmakers Moderna and Inovio Pharmaceuticals, according to WHO.CanSino said last month it received Chinese regulatory approval to start human trials of its vaccine. Massachusetts-based Moderna received regulatory approval to move quickly to human trials in March, skipping the years of animal trials that are the norm in developing vaccines. Inovio began human trials last week.To commercialize a vaccine normally takes five to 10 years, but developers are making all-out efforts to compress the time as soon as possible ― hopefully within next year. South Korea has also jumped into the race, with President Moon Jae-in promising on April 9 to invest 210 billi

Apr 14, 2020
Three coronavirus vaccine candidates in clinical trials: WHO

74→91→95→111→116: S. Korea unnerved by increasing reinfection cases

 By Park Si-soo South Korea has confirmed 116 cases of coronavirus reinfection (as of Monday noon) with most cases reported in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, two epicenters of the domestic outbreak.The tally added five more cases from Sunday, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). With 10,564 cumulative cases and 7,534 patients recovered (as of Tuesday noon), reinfection data showed nearly 1.5 percent of the recovered people had been infected again for unverified reasons.The first domestic case of reinfection was reported on Feb. 28 ― a woman in her 70s was confirmed to be reinfected six days after she had been declared as recovered.Health authorities are exploring possible causes of reinfection, but have yet to find a clear answer.“With limited information and data, we find it difficult to determine why and how they got infected again,” KCDC director Jung Eun-kyeong said in a Tuesday briefing. Of the 116 cases, 48 were reported in Daegu, 35 in North Gyeongsang Province and 10 in Gyeonggi Province.“Those in their 20s and

Apr 14, 2020
74→91→95→111→116: S. Korea unnerved by increasing reinfection cases

Korea reports 27 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 10,564

South Korea reported 27 more cases of the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, bringing the nation's total infections to 10,564. YonhapSouth Korea reported 27 more cases of the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, bringing the nation's total infections to 10,564.It marks the second day in a row that the country's new virus infections have fallen below 30. On Monday, the country posted a daily rise of 25 cases, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).Tuesday's new virus cases also mark a sharp drop from the Feb. 29 peak of 909 new cases. The country's daily number of new virus cases has been below 50 in the last six days.But health authorities remain on high alert over new cases coming from overseas as well as cluster infections at churches and hospitals. They are also keeping an eye on those who retested positive for COVID-19. The nation's death toll from the new coronavirus, which emerged in China late last year, rose by five to 222, according to the KCDC. The number of patients released from quarantine after making full recoveries reached 7,534, up 87 from a day

Apr 14, 2020
Korea reports 27 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 10,564

S. Korea mulls easing social-distancing rules

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun attends a daily government meeting on the COVID-19 pandemic in Seoul, Monday./ YonhapBy Kim Se-jeongThe government will discuss easing social-distancing rules later this week as COVID-19 infections have shown signs of decreasing, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Monday.The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) reported 25 new infections Sunday, pushing the total number of cases to 10,537, with 217 deaths. Chung also said the administration would replace any easing of the social-distancing campaign with an enhanced personal hygiene program.He cautioned, however, that the government will take a cautious attitude toward relaxing rules because it could give mixed messages to citizens, and reiterated Korea was not immune to a second wave of COVID-19 infections.“We shouldn't forget things are still far from being normal and shouldn't lower our guard completely. It could cost us a lot. That's why the government is very cautious about easing social distancing regulations.”The enhanced personal hygiene guidelines include skipping w

Apr 13, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
S. Korea mulls easing social-distancing rules

Police seek arrest warrant for self-isolation violator

Police said Monday they have requested the detention of a 68-year-old man who went outside despite being placed under coronavirus-related self-isolation."(Police) have filed an arrest warrant this morning for a Songpa Ward resident who repeatedly violated self-isolation rules after returning from the United States," Lee Yong-pyo, commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, told reporters.The resident in the southeastern ward of Songpa is alleged to have visited a spa and a restaurant despite being under two-week self-isolation after arriving here last week, according to the police.He tested negative for the coronavirus, the police chief said, adding that there won't be issues with his detention if he stays in a single cell.Lee said the police plan to deal with self-isolators in a "stern" manner and probe whether self-isolation violators repeatedly breached the rules, attempted to hide their itinerary or came in contact with other people.Police have so far probed 28 people for violating self-isolation guidelines. The cases for three of them have been referred to the prosecut

Apr 13, 2020
Police seek arrest warrant for self-isolation violator

S. Korea reports 25 more cases of coronavirus, total at 10,537. Death toll hits 217

 South Korea on Monday saw its daily number of coronavirus infections fall below 30 again as the country enforces strict social distancing to curb the pandemic.The 25 new cases, detected Sunday and down from 32 a day ago, brought the nation's total infections to 10,537, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). It is the second time since late February that the country's new virus infections have fallen below 30 after it reported 27 new cases Friday. Monday's new virus cases marked a sharp drop from the Feb. 29 peak of 909 new cases, according to the KCDC. The country's daily number of new virus cases has been below 50 in the last five days.But health authorities remain on high alert over cluster infections at churches and hospitals, as well as new cases coming from overseas.Of the newly reported cases, 16 cases were from overseas.The nation's death toll from the new coronavirus, which emerged in China late last year, rose by three to 217, according to the KCDC.The number of patients released from quarantine after making full recoveries reached 7,

Apr 13, 2020
S. Korea reports 25 more cases of coronavirus, total at 10,537. Death toll hits 217

All arrivals from US to get COVID-19 test

An airport official clad in protective gear disinfects her desk at an immigration stand exclusively for inbound passengers with COVID-19 symptoms at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, Sunday. /YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiAll travelers from the United States to Korea will be tested for COVID-19 within three days of self-quarantine beginning Monday as confirmed cases coming from the U.S. have been increasing steadily, the health authorities said Sunday. According to data from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), out of 459 cases from overseas, 228, or 49.7 percent, came from the U.S. In the last two weeks alone.All passengers from the U.S. have been under stricter quarantine measures since March 27 ― passengers who do not show symptoms are required to self-quarantine at home for 14 days, and those who show symptoms are required to take tests at the airport. However, new coronavirus cases in Korea stayed at around 30 for the second straight day on Saturday. According to the KCDC, 32 new cases were detected Saturday, bringing the total number of infections to 1

Apr 12, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji
All arrivals from US to get COVID-19 test

Many churches open to celebrate Easter

A church member gets his temperature checked at the entrance of a church located in Daegu on Easter Sunday./ YonhapBy Kim Se-jeongMany protestant churches in Korea opened to hold Easter services, the most important holiday for Christians who celebrate the story of the resurrection of Christ, on Sunday, despite ongoing government warnings against gatherings.Sarang Cheil Church in Seongbuk-gu in Seoul has continued to hold worship gatherings every weekend despite the warnings. Last month, the city government ordered a shutdown of the church. City officials were outside the church, trying to stop the gathering, but the church members blocked their access. The city assessed almost 1,200 people attended the Easter service.The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Sarang Cheil Church was one of more than 2,000 protestant churches that were open on the Easter weekend ― there are almost 6,400 registered protestant churches in the jurisdiction. No figure was available for other cities. In March, the central government banned any type of gathering and violators can now be punished with fines of u

Apr 12, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
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