Domestic Health Authorities Confirm "Wuhan Pneumonia" Human-to-Human Transmission Evidence (Comprehensive)

Officials from the Facilities and Environment Team of Incheon International Airport Corporation are conducting disinfection work at the arrival hall of Incheon International Airport on the 21st to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, known as "Wuhan pneumonia." Following confirmed cases in the country, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention raised the infectious disease alert level from "Interest" to "Caution" and activated the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters and local government task forces to strengthen community surveillance and response.
Yeongjongdo ? Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Domestic health authorities have acknowledged the possibility of human-to-human transmission of the novel coronavirus infection, commonly referred to as 'Wuhan pneumonia.'

On the 21st, Lee Seon-gyu, Director of the International Cooperation Division for Crisis Analysis at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), stated at a briefing on the novel coronavirus infection, "There are indications that human-to-human transmission has occurred." However, further confirmation is needed. He added, "It is currently under assessment, so it is difficult to say definitively."

Park Hye-kyung, Head of the Biological Terrorism Response Division, also explained, "The Chinese government initially stated that there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission at the early stages of the Wuhan pneumonia outbreak, but gradually, reports suggesting the possibility of such transmission have emerged. However, information is limited to determine the extent."

With 15 medical personnel in China heavily infected with 'Wuhan pneumonia,' domestic health authorities are paying special attention by requiring medical staff to wear personal protective equipment to prevent infectious diseases.

Park said, "From the early stages, N95 masks have been worn during quarantine, and hospitals with nationally designated inpatient treatment beds such as Incheon Medical Center and Bundang Seoul National University Hospital have medical staff wearing full personal protective equipment from the suspected patient stage."

She continued, "In Korea, entrances where patients enter are completely separated from general patients according to manuals, and most medical staff infections occur when infection prevention measures are not followed."

KDCA is strengthening quarantine for arrivals from Wuhan City. In particular, to prepare for cases where asymptomatic individuals in the incubation period of the novel coronavirus infection might not be detected during quarantine, one-on-one guidance is provided, and information on arrivals is shared with hospitals through the Drug Utilization Review (DUR) system.

Park said, "Because arrival information is transmitted to hospitals via DUR, if a Chinese person who came from Wuhan visits a domestic hospital with symptoms such as fever or cough, it can be identified."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.