The First Domestic 'Human-to-Human Transmission'... The 6th Patient Is the 3rd 'Contact' (Comprehensive)

Two New COVID-19 Cases Confirmed
5th Patient Recently Returned from Business Trip to Wuhan

On the 30th, amid the ongoing threat of the novel coronavirus, a notice board indicating the mask purchase limit per person is displayed at a large supermarket in Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Two additional confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia) have occurred in South Korea. This brings the total number of domestic patients to six.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters announced on the 30th that the fifth and sixth cases of the novel coronavirus have been confirmed. Among them, the sixth patient is the first domestic secondary infection case who contracted the virus without traveling to China.

The fifth patient is a 32-year-old Korean male. He visited Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China for work and returned on the 24th.

He has a history of asthma, with intermittent coughing but no fever, and was classified as an active surveillance subject. He tested positive during the examination on that day. The patient was isolated at Seoul Medical Center.

The sixth patient is a 56-year-old Korean male and a contact of the third patient. While under active surveillance, he tested positive on the same day and was isolated at Seoul National University Hospital.

The health authorities have dispatched an immediate response team to conduct an epidemiological investigation. Additional information will be disclosed once the investigation is completed.

The domestic confirmed cases occurred three days after the fourth patient was identified on the 27th. Since human-to-human transmission has been confirmed domestically, health authorities are on high alert.

The third patient, who is a contact of the sixth patient, returned on the 20th and was active around Gangnam in Seoul and Ilsan before being quarantined on the 25th and confirmed infected on the 26th. The third patient had 95 contacts, of which 15 were close contacts.

The four previously confirmed domestic patients are currently isolated and receiving treatment in nationally designated inpatient treatment beds. Patients 1 to 3 have shown improvement, with their fevers subsiding. Patient 4 still has pneumonia and is under intensive observation, but medical staff report that his condition is stable.

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