1700 Contacts of New Coronavirus Patients... Increased by 278 in One Day (Comprehensive)

Contacts of Patients 12 and 16 Increase by 256 from Previous Day
Total Contacts 1,698, 1,163 Under Quarantine

Foreign tourists wearing masks are passing in front of the COVID-19 screening clinic installed on the Myeongdong shopping street in Seoul on the 9th. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] The number of contacts of the 12th confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia) in Korea has risen to 420, an increase of more than 200 from the previous day. The number of contacts of the 16th patient also increased from 362 to 417 during the same period. The total number of people who have come into contact with confirmed patients in Korea is 1,698. Among them, some were tested negative and released from quarantine, while the remaining 1,163 are currently under quarantine.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters on the 9th, the number of contacts of the 12th patient, who was confirmed positive after arriving from Japan, increased from 219 the previous day to 420 on this day. Among them, 240 are currently under quarantine. Kwak Jin, head of the Epidemiological Investigation and Patient Management Team at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, explained, "The increase in the number of contacts is partly due to local governments being more proactive in blocking and adding people to quarantine." He added, "Since Patient 12 had a long movement path, when reclassifying contacts, additional people who had not been previously classified as contacts were added, resulting in the increase."

In the case of Patient 16, who is being treated at Chonnam National University Hospital, the number of contacts increased from 362 the previous day to 417 on this day. Kwak explained that the increase was due to additional identification of accompanying persons, visitors, and those who came to visit patients during a separate investigation of inpatients and outpatients at Gwangju 21st Century Hospital, where the patient was admitted before being transferred to the current hospital.

The daughter (Patient 18), who frequently came into contact with this patient within the hospital, and the older brother (Patient 22), who had separate contact, are also currently being treated as confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters stated that Patient 16's condition is stable. Kwak said, "The pneumonia that initially appeared in Patient 16 has greatly improved, and subjective symptoms have disappeared." He added, "Currently, the patient is in a stable condition showing only mild symptoms."

Jung Eun-kyung, Director of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, briefing

Patient 4 Discharged with No Symptoms and Negative Virus Test... Third Discharge
Health Authorities: "Must Always Be Prepared for Possible Community Transmission"

Following the discharge of two patients who had fully recovered from symptoms, one more patient was discharged on this day. This is the 4th patient, who was in Wuhan, China, returned to Korea on the 20th of last month, and was confirmed positive on the 27th of the same month. After receiving pneumonia treatment at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital, the patient’s symptoms improved, and two virus tests came back negative, leading to discharge, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters.

As of now, there are a total of 25 confirmed cases, among whom 3 have been discharged, and 22 are currently receiving treatment. There have been a total of 2,340 suspected cases (cumulative) with symptoms such as fever and cough after returning from China. Among them, 1,355 tested negative and were released from quarantine. Investigations are ongoing for 960 individuals. The number of people under quarantine, including self-isolation, is 1,163 excluding contacts of the 25th patient who was confirmed on this day and is under investigation. Some have completed the incubation period (up to 14 days) and have been released from monitoring.

At a briefing on this day, Director Jeong Eun-kyung said, "Since the outbreak in China is not yet controlled, and there are Koreans who have traveled to China or entrants from China, the possibility of community transmission always exists." She added, "So far, no patients without travel history to China or other links have been reported, but cases have been reported in places like Singapore and Hong Kong, so we consider it possible here as well and believe we must be fully prepared."

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