Medical Staff: "Novel Coronavirus Patients' Condition Stable... Less Contagious Than Flu"

On the 11th, at the Research Building of the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, Bang Ji-hwan, TF Team Leader (Director of the Central Infectious Disease Hospital Operations Center), is explaining the clinical treatment status amid the increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases during the Central Clinical Task Force (TF) briefing. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Medical staff in charge of treatment revealed that most confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia) in South Korea are in a stable condition without severe symptoms. While some patients exhibit more severe symptoms than those commonly seen with influenza (flu), the transmissibility appears to be lower.

Bang Ji-hwan, team leader of the Central Clinical Task Force at the National Medical Center, appeared on CBS Radio's "Kim Hyun-jung's News Show" on the 12th and said, "Most (confirmed patients) are stable, and some patients are suffering from mild flu-like symptoms." He added, "When a new infectious disease emerges, severe cases tend to be detected first, and in China, due to the large number of patients, proper treatment was not always possible, or treatment was received only after the disease had progressed to a severe stage, resulting in many deaths. Compared to influenza, the severity is higher, but the transmissibility is lower."

According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 28 confirmed cases have been identified in South Korea as of the previous day. Among them, four patients have been discharged, and one more is scheduled for discharge on this day. A patient discharged on the 10th was released after ten days of treatment following confirmation of infection. Some patients reportedly showed pneumonia symptoms, but medical staff noted that the symptoms experienced by patients are mild compared to the pneumonia progression visible on X-rays or CT scans. Among the 28 confirmed patients identified so far, the oldest, patient number 25 (73 years old), was also reported to have only mild symptoms, according to Team Leader Bang.

He stated, "Respiratory virus infections vary greatly from person to person; some experience no symptoms and recover easily, while others become severely ill, require hospitalization, or even lose their lives. Some people experience mild symptoms with the novel coronavirus, and as proper test kits are developed and serological and antibody tests are conducted, asymptomatic cases will also be identified." He emphasized, "Patients with underlying conditions or elderly patients are more likely to worsen. While sufficient caution is necessary, there is no need to have excessive fear."

The Central Clinical Task Force consists of medical staff from ten institutions, including the National Medical Center, responsible for treating novel coronavirus patients. Given the limited information about the new infectious disease, they are monitoring the situation by sharing clinical progress and treatment methods of patients.

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