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According to the quarantine authorities on the 24th and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the UK, the suspension of direct flights from the UK scheduled for the 25th will be extended by two more weeks until the 11th of next month.
Earlier, the government temporarily suspended flights departing from Heathrow Airport in London, England from December 23 to 31 last year and arriving at Incheon International Airport after a mutant virus outbreak in the UK. It is known that the mutant virus is 1.7 times stronger than the existing virus.
The government has strengthened the level of quarantine response during the quarantine process to block the influx of mutant viruses. From this day on, it is mandatory to submit a gene amplification (PCR) test’negative confirmation’ for all inbound travelers from overseas.
Foreigners who do not submit a confirmation letter are prohibited from entering the country. Koreans can be quarantined for 14 days after undergoing diagnostic tests in temporary living facilities. All related expenses are borne by the person himself. In addition, all immigrants must undergo separate examinations after entering the country and before quarantine.
Currently, the mutant virus is spreading all over the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of the 15th of this month, the number of countries with mutant viruses from the UK increased to 94. Mutations from South Africa and Brazil were found to have occurred in 46 and 21 countries, respectively.
The number of people confirmed to have been infected with the mutant virus in Korea was 109 from the UK, 13 from South Africa, and 6 from Brazil. Most of these people came from overseas, but there have been cases of group spread within the region, such as family and relative gatherings recently.