Number of Contacts of Novel Coronavirus Patients Rises to 1,318

On the 4th, medical staff are busy moving in the screening clinic for the novel coronavirus infection installed at the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] As of 10 a.m. on the 4th, the number of people who had contact with confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia) in South Korea was counted at 1,318.

Among them, 5 were confirmed as patients, and 45 contacts of the first patient were released from monitoring. The contacts of the 16th confirmed patient identified on this day have not yet been determined. The number of patient contacts may change depending on epidemiological investigations; for example, the Chinese male patient who entered from Japan (patient number 12) initially had 138 contacts, which increased to 361 the previous day, and then to 666 on this day. The 14th confirmed patient, who is the wife of patient number 12, had the same movement path, so there were no additional contacts.

So far, 607 symptomatic individuals have been investigated (cumulative), and including one newly confirmed on this day, the total number of confirmed patients is 16. 462 people tested negative and were released from quarantine, and tests are being conducted on 129 people, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Patient number 16 has been isolated at Chonnam National University Hospital and is undergoing an epidemiological investigation.

Jung Eun-kyung, Director of the KCDC, stated, "The disclosure of confirmed patients' movement paths is intended to inform people who were in the same space of possible exposure so that they can more carefully observe the onset of symptoms and promptly report and take preventive measures if suspicious symptoms occur."

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