Seoul City Conducts 950 Public Transportation COVID-19 Tests: "Virus Not Detected"

500 Tests Conducted After Disinfection on Subway, Bus, Taxi Routes of Confirmed Cases
450 Tests Conducted at 5 Facilities Before Disinfection for Commuters' Safety
Seoul Subway Car Environment Samples to Be Taken Next Month Regardless of Confirmed Visits

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Institute of Health and Environment announced on the 25th that, according to the 'Clean Zone' promotion plan for transparent and detailed information provision, it conducted coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) virus tests 11 times on the environments of multi-use facilities visited by asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic confirmed cases from February 12 last year to January 18 this year.

The Seoul Institute of Health and Environment, in particular, conducted tests on a total of 950 environmental samples from subways, buses, taxis, and other public transportation used daily by commuters from February last year to the present to alleviate citizens' anxiety, confirming that no COVID-19 virus was detected.

Seoul City operates a subway congestion forecast system to reduce crowding and recommends preemptive measures such as mandatory mask-wearing and refraining from conversations on public transportation. So far, there have been no confirmed cases of passengers infected due to public transportation workers.

The Seoul Institute of Health and Environment tested environmental samples to confirm safety after disinfection and quarantine measures at 25 public transportation locations visited or used by confirmed cases, and none of the total 500 samples detected the COVID-19 virus. For the subway, a total of 343 samples were collected and gathered from indoor air and environments such as concourses and platforms, and 56 samples were collected from subway cars on two lines at two vehicle depots, totaling 399 samples tested. For buses, 46 environmental samples were collected from three garages and one bus stop, and for taxis, 55 samples were collected from two vehicles and tested.

Furthermore, although COVID-19 virus environmental sample tests have been conducted after disinfection so far, due to the recent surge in confirmed cases and increased public anxiety, the scope was expanded to public transportation, and 450 samples were tested before disinfection at five facilities including subways and buses, all of which were negative.

At the end of last year, Seoul City conducted preemptive testing on 21,000 bus drivers and found 17 confirmed cases. The Seoul Institute of Health and Environment collected environmental samples before disinfection from bus handrails, seats, and other areas on buses operated by these drivers, and no COVID-19 virus was detected.

According to the contact range examples and COVID-19 response guidelines presented by the World Health Organization (WHO), bus passengers are considered contacts if they were within 1 meter and for more than 15 minutes of a confirmed driver. Passengers who boarded buses operated by confirmed drivers were not classified as close contacts based on these criteria.

COVID-19 virus tests were conducted by collecting indoor air using air samplers in public transportation facilities included in confirmed cases' movement paths, and surface contact samples were collected using swab samplers from object surfaces potentially contaminated by droplets from confirmed cases. Environmental samples were tested using the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method, the same method used for COVID-19 testing in humans.

In public transportation, appropriate ventilation through natural and mechanical means reduces passengers' exposure to the COVID-19 virus. Subway cars stop at platforms every 2 minutes, allowing natural ventilation through automatic door opening and closing, and mechanical ventilation is provided inside trains via air conditioning units. Additionally, platforms and concourses within subway stations are ventilated effectively by air conditioning and exhaust fans. City buses have doors that open at every stop, ensuring sufficient ventilation.

Shin Yong-seung, Director of the Seoul Institute of Health and Environment, stated, “Environmental tests were conducted after disinfection in subway cars, buses, taxis, subway platforms, and concourses included in confirmed cases' movement paths, and tests were conducted before disinfection on frequently used vehicles, all confirming no virus detection. Therefore, there is no need for excessive anxiety.” He added, “The main reason no infections occurred despite many people using public transportation is the active efforts of citizens, such as wearing masks, washing hands, and refraining from conversations and phone calls,” urging strict adherence to personal quarantine rules.

The Seoul Institute of Health and Environment plans to alleviate citizens' anxiety and ensure the safety of public transportation through preemptive measures even if no confirmed cases visit in the future. Regular indoor air quality inspections of subway cars will be conducted in February, during the fine dust seasonal period, and COVID-19 virus environmental sample tests will also be conducted on subway cars on Seoul City-operated lines.

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