Suspicious Symptoms but Traveling to Jeju... Red Alert on Management Due to Entrants' 'Deviation'

Image source=Yonhap News

[Asia Economy reporters Choi Dae-yeol and Kim Heung-soon] A domestic student who returned from studying in the United States was diagnosed with COVID-19 after traveling to Jeju Island with family immediately upon returning, triggering an alert in the Jeju local community. As the proportion of imported cases among new domestic infections continues to rise, voices criticizing the 'deviance' of some inbound travelers are growing, as cases emerge where domestic and foreign nationals entering from COVID-19 epidemic countries ignore government and quarantine authorities' requests to 'refrain from going out' and test positive.

Returned from US studies, toured Jeju for 4 nights and 5 days with family
38 contacts identified... criticism intensifies

According to Jeju Island on the 26th, a 19-year-old woman who tested positive for COVID-19 in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, where she resides, was on a 4-night, 5-day trip to Jeju with three others including her mother starting from the 20th. The authorities confirmed through the patient's statements, CCTV footage, and card usage message records that the group visited 20 locations in Jeju. They used the airport, restaurants, accommodations, theme parks, seafood direct sales markets, convenience stores, cafes, and ships, and it was confirmed that they did not wear masks when visiting resort facilities and nearby marts. So far, 38 contacts have been identified. All contacts have been instructed to self-quarantine.

The patient, a university student in the Boston area of the United States, returned home on the 15th after a school closure order was issued. She reported muscle pain and sore throat symptoms to the health center starting on the afternoon of the 20th. Despite having suspicious symptoms, she proceeded with the Jeju trip. Although it is difficult to hold her accountable for traveling to Jeju before the government mandated mandatory self-quarantine for arrivals from the US starting at midnight on the 27th, there are concerns about her inappropriate response given that quarantine authorities have urged arrivals to stay at their residence for two weeks after returning. Gangnam-gu Office issued a message appealing to US students and arrivals, saying, "For the safety of yourself, your family, and 570,000 residents, please self-quarantine for two weeks and get tested if symptomatic."

57 new imported cases... continuing upward trend
Local governments strengthen self-quarantine and testing standards

Not only domestic nationals but also foreigners residing in Korea who traveled abroad and then used public transportation, restaurants, and marts before testing positive have been reported. One such case is a 35-year-old male (Polish) confirmed positive in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the 12th. He returned on the 10th, took the subway home, and visited local marts, convenience stores, restaurants, hospitals, and banks before testing positive two days later.

The government and quarantine authorities decided to strengthen quarantine by focusing on self-quarantine and diagnostic testing for arrivals from Europe and the US, but as cases have emerged among arrivals from countries other than these, some local governments have begun establishing their own management systems. Daegu City raised its standards above government guidelines by requiring all arrivals to self-quarantine and undergo diagnostic testing within three days, and only lifting quarantine after a negative retest at the end of the two-week self-quarantine period. As of midnight that day, 104 new domestic cases were reported, bringing the total to 9,241. Among these, 57 were imported cases identified through airport quarantine and local government checks, the highest number.

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