COVID-19 Cases Zero for Four Consecutive Days...Entering the 'Green Zone'?

On the 11th, medical staff are busily moving for work at the screening clinic of the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy reporters Choi Dae-yeol and Kim Heung-soon] As no new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) have been reported domestically for four consecutive days, there are growing expectations that this situation may be entering a 'Green Zone' (an area free from disaster risk). Among the previously confirmed patients, 21 are currently undergoing treatment, most of whom remain in stable condition, creating an atmosphere that the COVID-19 crisis, which has gripped our society with fear since the first patient was identified on January 20, is entering a phase of stabilization.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on the morning of the 14th at 9 a.m. that there were no additional confirmed COVID-19 cases domestically. Since the 28th patient was confirmed on the 10th, no new cases have emerged for four days. This is the second time since the first patient was identified domestically on the 20th of last month and the second patient was confirmed four days later. Considering that up to five new cases were reported in a single day at times, this suggests the situation is entering a stabilization phase.

As of this day, a total of 28 confirmed cases have been identified, of which seven have been discharged. To date, a total of 6,826 people have been tested for COVID-19, with 6,134 testing negative and being released from quarantine, and 692 currently undergoing testing. Currently, 500 to 800 tests to determine COVID-19 infection status are conducted daily.

From next week, the number of cases discharged after full recovery is expected to increase significantly. Professor Kim Nam-jung, an infectious disease specialist at Seoul National University Hospital currently treating three patients, said, "The remaining patients under treatment have almost all lost their symptoms and are waiting as it takes some time to conduct virus tests." COVID-19 patients are released from isolation after symptoms disappear and they receive two consecutive negative virus tests at 24-hour intervals after 48 hours have passed. Most patients discharged earlier were released immediately after being cleared from isolation.

Accordingly, the government is taking measures with a view toward 'returning to daily life.' Guidelines have been established and implemented since the 12th, instructing that government events proceed as planned if sufficient quarantine measures are taken, excluding activities involving close contact among participants. Kim Kang-rip, Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, said, "From a quarantine perspective, it was inevitable to take more proactive and stronger measures early on to minimize risks, but recently, scientific evidence related to the disease has been secured, and guidelines have been prepared accordingly."

Health authorities remain vigilant. At a briefing the previous day, Jung Eun-kyung, Director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stated, "We believe the risk of widespread community infection is not high, but since there are still many new cases in China and there is significant exchange with China, we must continue to monitor the situation closely," adding, "This is not a lull phase, and it is not the time to judge it as such."

An official from the National Institute of Environmental Research said, "Currently, the safety rules and discharge criteria set by quarantine authorities are based on MERS, which had a high fatality rate. While this approach may be somewhat inconvenient for patients and the general public due to its excessive nature, considering that this is an infectious disease not yet clearly understood, such an excessive response is deemed appropriate."

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