Government Conducts Risk Assessment for Italy and Iran... "Special Entry Procedures to Be Decided Through Consultation with Relevant Agencies if Necessary"

Senior Official from Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "Italy's Situation is Deteriorating Significantly"
1.1 Million Masks Supported by Chinese Government to Arrive Domestically by 16th
Pre-Departure Fever Checks on Americas Routes Starting from 11th, Government Takes Direct Action

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The government is conducting a risk assessment of Italy, where confirmed cases and deaths from the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) are increasing, and will take additional measures if necessary through the judgment of quarantine authorities and consultations with related ministries.

A senior official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told reporters on the 10th, "The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH) is conducting risk assessments on countries such as Italy and Iran and consulting with related agencies," adding, "If necessary, special entry procedures will be decided through consultations with related ministries."

On the 9th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs raised the travel alert for Piedmont in northern Italy and Marche in central Italy to Level 2, which corresponds to travel restraint. The three northern regions of Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, and Veneto are already under a Level 2 travel alert.

The senior official said, "The situation in Italy is deteriorating significantly," and added, "Yesterday, the Consular Office for Overseas Koreans held a video conference with local missions to check the situation." As of the 9th local time, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Italy was 9,172, with 463 deaths reported.

However, the official expressed a cautious stance regarding the deployment of temporary flights. He responded, "(The deployment of temporary flights) is not being specifically considered." It is known that in Italy, if one holds a flight ticket and submits a confirmation form stating they are going to the airport, movement is permitted.

Quarantine supplies such as masks supported by the Chinese government will enter the country three times between the 11th and 16th. The senior official said, "The supplies supported by China are scheduled to arrive in three shipments from tomorrow until the 16th," adding, "China's daily mask demand is 600 million, daily production is 160 million, and I was told that export permission was granted considering the special relationship with Korea."

Chinese Ambassador to Korea Xing Haiming met with Kim Geon, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the 6th and pledged to support 100,000 N95 masks, 1 million medical surgical masks, and 10,000 medical protective suits. On the 11th, 80,000 N95 masks and 10,000 protective suits are expected to arrive; on the 13th, 20,000 N95 masks; and on the 16th, 1 million medical masks. In addition to support, the Chinese government has decided to export a total of 5 million general medical masks and N95 masks to Korea in the first phase.

The senior official explained, "We are also making efforts to import additional MB filters, which are raw materials for mask production, from China," and added, "There is demand to additionally import about 37 mask production machines, and we are actively negotiating with the Chinese side."

Meanwhile, the fever screening before departure on trans-Pacific routes, which airlines had been conducting independently, will be carried out directly by the government starting tomorrow. Quarantine inspection offices will be installed at three locations at Incheon Airport and one location at Gimhae Airport, and 44 quarantine officers will be deployed. The senior official said, "From the perspective of the counterpart country, this will have more credibility than airlines voluntarily conducting it."

The government is also reportedly considering expanding the pre-departure fever screening procedure to routes other than trans-Pacific routes.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

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