Train Crew Member on Confirmed Patient's Train Tests Positive for COVID-19... Concerns Over Infection Inside Train

Korea Railroad "No Confirmation of Infection During Train Crew Duty"

Korea Railroad quarantine personnel are disinfecting the interior of a Mugunghwa-ho train. (Photo by Korea Railroad)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Jiwon] A train crew member who worked on a train with a confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) tested positive for COVID-19.

Concerns have arisen about the possibility of COVID-19 transmission on the train, but Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail) stated, "There is no confirmed evidence that the confirmed employee was infected while working on the train."

According to Korail on the 17th, a Korail office worker who recently substituted as crew (Daejeon case number 676) tested positive for COVID-19 around 6 p.m. the previous day.

This employee underwent a COVID-19 test after being notified that a confirmed case from Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, had boarded the Mugunghwa train from Yongsan to Iksan on the 11th, when the employee was on duty.

Korail immediately closed the Daejeon headquarters building upon receiving the confirmation and conducted disinfection throughout the entire building. The 1,200 headquarters employees worked from home until that day.

Korail maintains that it has not yet been confirmed whether the confirmed employee was infected while working on the train. Both customers and crew members were wearing masks inside the train, and there was minimal contact, so the probability of infection occurring on the train is considered low.

However, if it is true that COVID-19 was transmitted inside the train despite both passengers and crew wearing masks, the repercussions are expected to be significant.

Korail emphasized, "We are actively cooperating with the epidemiological investigation by health authorities," and added, "We are doing our best to ensure public safety by enforcing mandatory mask-wearing on trains, prohibiting eating and drinking, and selling window-side seats."

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