Authorities: "Reducing COVID-19 Testing Volume or Clinical Intervention Not Possible" (Update)

Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] The quarantine authorities have refuted claims circulating ahead of the general election that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases decreased because domestic diagnostic testing for the novel coronavirus was not conducted, stating, "We clearly say this is not true."

At a regular briefing on the afternoon of the 13th, Jung Eun-kyung, head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters for COVID-19, said, "Some media outlets have claimed that 'the quarantine authorities prevented frontline medical institutions from conducting diagnostic tests, so the number of tests and confirmed cases did not increase.'"

Director Jung emphasized, "The quarantine authorities have continuously expanded the criteria for diagnostic testing, investigation targets, and symptomatic cases in accordance with the changing domestic and international patient occurrence situations. The authorities have never artificially reduced or intervened in the volume of COVID-19 diagnostic tests, and it is not possible to interfere with doctors' clinical judgments."

According to the daily tally by the quarantine authorities, the recent number of tests averages 7,000 per day, which is slightly lower than the period when large-scale cluster infections caused daily tests to exceed 10,000.

However, Director Jung explained, "There are tests conducted when confirmed patients are released from isolation, and tests are also being conducted on overseas arrivals. Since there are many cases not reported to the authorities, approximately 15,000 tests are still being conducted daily."

She added, "We are currently preparing a testing plan to efficiently assess risk and detect infections early by determining who and how to test. Citizens with suspicious symptoms should actively get tested, and medical staff should also conduct tests proactively if they suspect infection."

According to the quarantine authorities' tally, the cumulative number of diagnostic tests conducted domestically, including duplicate tests, is 861,216.

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