Coronavirus patients surpass 1,000 in 37 days

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

National

Sun, December 10, 2023 | 08:47

Health & Science

Coronavirus patients surpass 1,000 in 37 days

Posted : 2020-02-26 17:17

Updated : 2020-02-26 22:20

Foreign tourists wearing masks tour Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, Wednesday. The number of COVID-19 infections here surpassed 1,000, Wednesday, 37 days after the first case was reported. /Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

By Kim Se-jeong

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said Wednesday that the number of COVID-19 virus infections here has surpassed 1,000, 37 days after the first case was reported.

The figure reached 1,261 as of 5 p.m., up 284 from a day earlier, with the number of deaths rising to 12 from 10.

A 73-year-old man from Daegu and a member of the Shincheonji Church, a Christian sect at the center of a spike in the new coronavirus cases, was the 12th person to die. The 11th was a Mongolian national, the first foreign patient to die of the virus in Korea. The KCDC said more deaths are expected, as five patients remain in very serious condition.

Among the new confirmed patients was a U.S. soldier. The United States Forces Korea said the soldier was stationed in Chilgok Camp Carroll, but visited Camp Henry in Daegu, Monday.

In addition, a nursing home in Cheongdo, North Gyeongsang Province saw one of its staff members confirmed to have the infection. The nurse is reportedly also a member of the Shincheonji Church, which has raised concerns among the health authorities that the home may become another infection hub as have Daenam Hospital and a facility for the disabled in Yecheon, both in North Gyeongsang Province.

Daenam Hospital has more than 110 confirmed patients and the Yecheon facility more than 20. The nursing home has six patients and five staff including the confirmed patient.

Meanwhile, quarantine officials had to debate Wednesday whether President Moon Jae-in should go into isolation. On Tuesday, Moon visited Daegu and held an emergency meeting with Vice Mayor Lee Seung-ho, whose secretary later tested positive for COVID-19. However, Cheong Wa Dae said the vice mayor had tested negative.

The government received a full list of Shincheonji members from the church and began to share the information with local governments. The quarantine authorities want to test all church members for the coronavirus to prevent any further spread.

From today, people can purchase masks from post offices and agriculture banks. The government is now overseeing the entire production and will supply 3.5 million additional masks per day through these outlets. A shortage of masks has seen price-gouging.

Also, the government released a list of 91 hospitals and clinics in the country where patients with chronic respiratory diseases can get treatment in isolation from other patients. People express fear of becoming infected during hospital visits.

The list of hospitals and clinics is available on ncov.mohw.go.kr, www.hira.or.kr and www.kha.or.kr but only in Korean.

Meanwhile, 144 Koreans evacuated from Wuhan and quarantined at the National Defense Language Institute left for home Thursday after completing their 14-day isolation. All 144 were negative in a final round of virus testing. Three were kept behind for another test after unclear results.

skim@koreatimes.co.kr