Going on a Business Trip Abroad... Am I Positive?

Rapid Increase in Positive Cases Before Departure
Most Asymptomatic and Surprised
"Means Latent Infection Has Spread"

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] Mr. Kim, a man in his 30s who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month before traveling abroad, was tested two days before his departure. Having finished preparing for his overseas business trip and seeking to obtain a negative test certificate, Mr. Kim unexpectedly tested positive for COVID-19. He said, "I was in good health with no symptoms like coughing or fever, so I naturally expected a negative result," adding, "The positive diagnosis caused an emergency within the company."

Professor Kim Ja-young of the Department of Laboratory Medicine at Catholic Kwandong University Medical School told Asia Economy on the 14th, "A recent notable trend in COVID-19 testing is the sharp increase in positive cases among those tested just before departing for overseas business trips," adding, "There have been instances where 2 out of 10 overseas business travelers tested positive." Professor Kim noted, "Many of these cases are asymptomatic, and some are even surprised to learn they are positive," expressing concern that "this indicates the possibility of widespread latent infections within the community."

Incheon Airport Corporation operates a COVID-19 testing center in collaboration with Inha University Medical School Hospital, where outbound travelers can get tested before departure. Recently, about 250 people are tested daily. A representative from the Inha University Hospital testing center said, "Those tested here have already undergone screening by local governments and are seeking final negative confirmation before departure," adding, "Despite symptomatic individuals being filtered out at local testing sites, three positive cases have been detected just before departure this year." Among these cases were individuals who had previously contracted COVID-19 but tested positive again due to viral re-detection.

As the number of confirmed cases rose back to the 700s on this day, the proportion of cases with unknown infection routes approached 30%, a figure similar to the peak period of the third wave. Increased mobility during the spring season is also a risk factor. According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, weekend mobility (April 10-11) in the metropolitan area was 34.76 million trips, a 10.1% increase compared to the previous weekend (April 3-4). Weekend mobility outside the metropolitan area also surged by 19.1% to 36.67 million trips compared to the previous weekend.

Professor Eom Jung-sik of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Gachon University Gil Medical Center said, "As COVID-19 prolongs, public fatigue is increasing, and with the improving spring weather, mobility is rising," warning, "As vigilance fades, even if social distancing measures are tightened in the future, the effectiveness of quarantine may decline."

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