The First Domestic Contact of a COVID-19 Patient Released from Surveillance

On the 3rd, as the spread of the novel coronavirus infection continues, a notice restricting access to the side entrance is posted at the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] The health authorities' monitoring of 45 people who had contact with the first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia) in South Korea ended on the 3rd. The incubation period is considered to be up to about two weeks, and since none of the contacts developed symptoms or were confirmed not to have the novel coronavirus after exposure to the symptomatic patient, the monitoring was concluded.

According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), the surveillance of the 45 people who had contact with the first patient was lifted from midnight on the day. The first patient was a Chinese woman who entered the country from Wuhan, China, on the 19th of last month. At that time, 29 passengers, crew members, airport officials, and acquaintances who accompanied her were classified as contacts. Among them, 9 people, including 5 companions who traveled with the first patient, immediately left the country, and the Korean health authorities conducted active monitoring on 35 people through public health centers.

Active monitoring is a procedure where contacts are contacted by phone on days 1, 2, and 7 during the 14 days following the last exposure to check for symptoms such as fever. If suspicious symptoms appear, the person is isolated and tested. The patient was detected during quarantine and was immediately transferred to a hospital from the airport. Excluding the patient, 10 people showed symptoms, some of whom had influenza or other illnesses, but all tested negative for the novel coronavirus. The KCDC stated, "Most of the contacts were exposed on the plane at the time of entry, so the exposure dates were all the same, and the monitoring was lifted simultaneously," adding, "No further measures such as monitoring will be taken after the release."

Regarding the second confirmed patient, who was identified on the 24th of last month, four days after the first confirmed case, isolation measures were taken. The second patient had fever and sore throat but no respiratory symptoms when entering the country via Wuhan and Shanghai on the 22nd of last month and was classified as a subject for active monitoring. There are 75 contacts, including passengers and airport staff. These contacts are also expected to be released from monitoring sequentially starting from the 15th day. The KCDC reported that the second patient currently has no symptoms, is improving, and is about to be discharged.

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