22 Foreigners Confirmed with COVID-19 Despite Entering with PCR Negative Certificates

COVID-19 Central Disease Control Headquarters Regular Briefing
548 Foreigners Entering from Enhanced Quarantine Countries
512 Submitted Negative Certificates... 22 Confirmed Positive in Domestic Tests

Arriving passengers are waiting for transportation at Incheon International Airport.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Among foreigners entering South Korea from countries subject to strengthened quarantine measures, 22 individuals who submitted PCR negative certificates were confirmed positive.

According to data compiled by the Central Disease Control Headquarters on the 4th, 548 foreigners entered from countries subject to strengthened quarantine measures between the 13th of last month and the 3rd of this month. These countries are designated by the Korean government based on their risk levels, with reductions in flights and visas, and requiring PCR tests within 48 hours before departure to bring a negative certificate. Starting with Bangladesh and Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan (July 6), Uzbekistan and the Philippines (July 20) were successively designated.

Among the 512 who submitted negative certificates, 14 did not meet the standards; 9 were repatriated, and 5 underwent PCR testing domestically considering the grace period. Despite having negative certificates, 22 were confirmed positive: 18 at the quarantine stage and 4 during self-quarantine. There were 36 who did not submit negative certificates, including 34 Philippine transit passengers and 2 infants. Among the infants, one was confirmed positive at the quarantine stage.

The number of confirmed foreign cases entering South Korea from countries subject to strengthened quarantine measures is decreasing. In the second week of July (week 28), there were 77 cases, which decreased to 21 cases three weeks later (week 31). Kwon Jun-wook, Deputy Director of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, said at a briefing, "We plan to regularly assess risk levels considering overseas patient trends and domestic imported cases, and implement necessary measures such as quarantine and isolation to block imported cases."

On the morning of the 31st, Iraqi construction site workers returning home through Incheon International Airport are leaving the airport terminal.

95 Construction Workers Returning from Iraq Confirmed Positive
Additional Infections at Gangnam Coffee Shop and Pocheon Military Base

Among 365 Korean construction workers who entered from Iraq, a cumulative total of 95 cases have been confirmed. Of the first group of arrivals, 77 were positive, and 18 in the second group. 270 tested negative and will remain in quarantine facilities until the 7th and 14th.

Meanwhile, related to a coffee shop in Gangnam-gu, Seoul (including a cluster infection linked to a restaurant in Yangjae-dong), 2 additional cases were confirmed, raising the total to 12. Regarding a military base in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, one soldier who was trained by an instructor suspected of spreading the infection tested positive before release from quarantine, increasing the total to 22.

Deputy Director Kwon said, "It was confirmed that a confirmed case related to the Hongcheon camping site stayed about 3 meters away from the table of the Gangnam coffee shop patient (a meeting attendee) for about 30 minutes," adding, "However, it has not yet been confirmed what kind of contact occurred, and a thorough epidemiological investigation is underway regarding multiple possible exposures."

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