4 additional British and South Africans confirmed
As a’critical variable’ for quarantine by strong spreading power
Authorities “Crucial Time in the Next Two Weeks”
Mandatory submission of voice confirmation for foreigners
Expert “must check power at the airport”
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Following an additional outbreak of mutant virus infection from the UK in Korea, it has emerged as a’critical variable’ of the third pandemic of the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19), which has entered an inflection point, as a mutant virus from South Africa has been confirmed. Mutant viruses are known to have 1.7 times stronger transmission power than existing viruses, and it is expected that whether or not to prevent local infections will be a challenge.
According to the Central Defense Countermeasure Headquarters on the 3rd, four more infected with the UK mutant virus and one more infected with the South African mutant virus were confirmed during the last holiday, and the number of domestic mutant virus infections increased to 10. It has been 6 days since the first discovery on December 28 last year.
Among the additional confirmed cases, three family members of A, a man in his 80s, who entered the country on the 13th of last month and died on the 26th, were included. The 15 people who were confirmed to have been in contact with them all showed negative results from the first and second tests, but the anxiety of the community remains. Mr. B, in his 30s, who was further confirmed to be infected with the British mutant virus, was confirmed during self-quarantine on the 20th after entering the country through Incheon Airport from the UK on December 19 last year. There was no accompanying person, but we are checking for additional contacts.
The first South African mutant virus infection in Korea was also confirmed. The confirmed person was confirmed during quarantine after entering the country through the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from South Africa on the 26th of last month. There is one accompanying person, and the inspection is currently underway.
The quarantine authorities are in the position that “the possibility of spreading to the community is small as it is confirmed during self-quarantine or in the process of entry,” but experts advise that the vigilance should be further strengthened. Baek Soon-young, an emeritus professor at the Catholic University of Medicine, said, “Because there is a possibility that the mutant virus will change rapidly to a dominant species, we need to slow down the influx and become immune as quickly as possible.” He pointed out that it is necessary to reinforce the requirement to submit and to undergo examination by local governments within 3 days for asymptomatic patients so that all persons undergo diagnostic tests at the airport.” Eun-mi Cheon, a professor at Ewha Univ. Mokdong Hospital, said, “Even if you submit a negative PCR confirmation, you cannot catch people who are in an incubation period under the current guidelines that require a test within 3 days. .
In the UK, the epicenter of the mutant virus, the number of confirmed cases exceeds 50,000 a day for five consecutive days, recording the highest number of new cases every two days. On the 2nd (local time), there were 57,725 new confirmed cases, and the UK government is implementing a four-step response that requires all non-essential stores, gymnasiums, and beauty salons to close. The mutant virus has spread rapidly not only in the UK but also around the world, and has been confirmed in at least 33 countries including the US, UK, and Turkey so far.
The two mutant viruses, both British and South African, are known to have stronger transmission power, but the fatality rate has not yet been clear. “The UK mutant virus is known as the’GR group’ for genotype classification and the’GH group’ in South Africa,” said Eun-jin Kim, head of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is not being confirmed.”
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The government has stepped up to strengthen the management of foreign visitors. First of all, starting on the 8th (from the 15th for the port), it was mandatory for all foreigners to submit a negative PCR confirmation. From the 1st of this month, it has been obligatory for foreigners and Koreans to submit PCR confirmations for those entering the UK and South Asia. The current distance-taking measures, which are the 2.5th stage in the metropolitan area and the second stage in the non-capital area, and special quarantine measures for the year-end and New Years were extended for two weeks until the 17th of this month.
The quarantine authorities believe that the spread of the tertiary epidemic is being prevented when considering the number of new confirmed cases and the infectious reproductive index. Young-rae Son, head of the Strategic Planning Division, Central Accident Control Headquarters, said, “The average number of domestic patients per day for the past week from December 27 to January 2 was 931 and decreased from 1,017 the previous week. It has come down to about 1” He continued, “Currently, it is judged that it is at a fork in the state of a temporary peak or is passing through the peak gently.” Prime Minister Jeong Sye-gyun also said on the day that “the next two weeks are the decisive time to achieve a certain stability,” and said, “We will definitely suppress the momentum of Corona 19 this month and add the power of treatments and vaccines from next month.” / Reporters Joo-won Lee and Hee-young Noh [email protected]
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