First COVID-19 Case Confirmed in Yeongnam Region...Growing Concerns Over Community Transmission (Comprehensive)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] The 31st confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in South Korea has been reported in Daegu Metropolitan City. The patient is a woman in her 60s with no history of overseas travel, marking the first COVID-19 case in the Yeongnam region.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters announced on the 18th at 9 a.m. that one additional confirmed case was identified, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 31. This update includes cases reported from 4 p.m. on the 17th through the night.

The 31st patient is a Korean woman born in 1959 who was tested for COVID-19 at the Suseong District Public Health Center in Daegu and received a positive result. She has been isolated at Daegu Medical Center, a nationally designated inpatient treatment facility. The patient stated to health authorities that she has no history of overseas travel. The emergence of a confirmed case in the Yeongnam region, where no cases had previously been reported, has raised concerns about community transmission.

Currently, health authorities are investigating the infection route and contacts of the 31st confirmed patient, but the possibility of community transmission with an unidentified source cannot be ruled out.

Among previously confirmed patients, a total of 10 have been released from isolation as of this morning due to improved conditions. As of this morning, 9,234 individuals with symptoms such as fever and cough who have traveled to countries affected by the novel coronavirus, including China, are under medical observation, an increase of 546 from 8,688 as of yesterday afternoon. Of these, 8,277 have tested negative, and 957 are still undergoing testing.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters releases updates on domestic novel coronavirus cases twice daily at 10 a.m. (based on 9 a.m. data) and 5 p.m. (based on 4 p.m. data).

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