147 Returnees from Wuhan and Their Families Test Negative in Diagnostic Screening (Comprehensive Report 2)

Suspected COVID-19 patients among the Korean residents returning from Wuhan, China on the government's third chartered flight are being transported by ambulance to designated hospitals. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] All 147 individuals, including residents repatriated from Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on the 3rd temporary flight (charter flight) and their family members of Chinese nationality, tested negative for COVID-19.

Kim Kang-rip, Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (Vice Minister of Health and Welfare), stated at the regular briefing on the 13th, "As a result of COVID-19 diagnostic tests conducted on the repatriated residents and their families who returned on the 12th, all tested negative."

A total of 147 people, including Wuhan residents and family members of Chinese nationality, arrived on the 3rd charter flight the previous day. Among them, 5 individuals exhibited COVID-19 symptoms such as fever and cough after returning and were classified as suspected cases before being transferred to the National Medical Center. Of these 5, 3 are Korean and 2 are Chinese. Two children accompanying them were also tested, making a total of 7 people who underwent diagnostic tests at the National Medical Center, all of whom tested negative.

The remaining 140 individuals were tested at the temporary living facility, the Defense Language Institute of the Combined Military Academy in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, and all received negative results. The 7 people at the National Medical Center were also moved to the Defense Language Institute on the morning of the same day.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, the repatriated individuals will stay at the Defense Language Institute for 14 days and receive support from the government joint support team composed of seven ministries (Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Environment, National Police Agency, and National Fire Agency) and Icheon City. The government joint support team includes medical staff such as 2 doctors and 2 nurses, as well as 2 paramedics.

They are assigned one person per room as a principle and provided with basic living supplies. Additionally, symptoms are checked twice daily through fever checks, and if symptoms occur, they are immediately transported to a government-designated isolation hospital using a negative pressure vehicle. To support emotional stability and communication, 2 psychological counselors and 3 interpreters (including 1 medical interpreter) are also assigned.

Deputy Head Kim said, "We will continue to implement meticulous quarantine measures and provide ongoing support so that the Wuhan residents repatriated on the 3rd flight can stay safely and live without inconvenience."

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