Two More Koreans Attended Singapore Event Visited by Novel Coronavirus Patient

Medical staff are passing in front of the entrance to the negative pressure ward at Seoul Medical Center in Jungnang-gu, Seoul.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Amid two Korean nationals who returned from Singapore being confirmed positive for the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia), it has been confirmed that two more Koreans attended the same event locally.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters on the 6th, the 17th and 19th confirmed patients, identified the previous day, attended a conference held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Singapore around the 20th of last month. The specific infection routes of the two patients are currently under investigation. Considering that a Malaysian who attended the same event locally was confirmed positive after returning to their country, our health authorities judge that it is highly likely they were exposed to the same source of infection locally.

The details of the conference have not been disclosed. Singapore authorities announced that it was a business meeting attended by 109 people. Aside from the two Korean patients confirmed positive, one other Korean who returned to Korea is currently under quarantine after returning. The remaining person was initially in another foreign country before attending the local event, and our health authorities are currently attempting to contact them.

Entrance of Grand Hyatt Hotel Singapore

According to the epidemiological investigation results of the 17th patient released that day, they returned on the 24th after attending the Singapore event last month. Considering that the virus test was negative and quarantine started on the 5th of this month, they were active in the community for nearly two weeks. The number of contacts has been counted as 188 so far. After returning, they took the KTX immediately and visited Daegu, where their parents' and in-laws' homes are located, and also visited hospitals near their residence. They are currently hospitalized at Myongji Hospital, where the 3rd patient is receiving treatment.

A KCDC official said, "It is judged that the 17th patient had symptoms before entering the country, and the movement path from the entry date on the 24th to the 4th, when home quarantine was implemented, was identified and disclosed."

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