Measures to Strengthen Quarantine for 'China-Origin Arrivals' to Be Announced Today... Including Enhanced Testing Discussed

On the morning of the 29th, information about flights from China is displayed on the arrival information board at Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] Regarding the spread of COVID-19 in China, the government will finalize and announce additional quarantine measures on the 30th. Measures under consideration include requiring COVID-19 negative test certificates from arrivals from China and expanding testing.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters for COVID-19 plans to hold a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on the morning of the same day to announce strengthened quarantine measures for arrivals from China.

Since China abandoned its 'Zero COVID' policy earlier this month, confirmed COVID-19 cases within China have surged. The proportion of arrivals from China among overseas-imported confirmed cases in South Korea has increased from about 1.1% last month to 15% this month.

The quarantine authorities designated China as a targeted quarantine country on the 16th, lowering the fever threshold from the previous 37.5℃ to 37.3℃, and even if accompanying persons of symptomatic individuals show no symptoms, they are subjected to PCR testing while monitoring variant viruses through whole genome sequencing.

Jung Ki-seok, chairman of the National Infectious Disease Crisis Response Advisory Committee, expressed concern in his opening remarks at the advisory meeting the day before, stating, "Following the Chinese government's easing of quarantine measures such as lifting temporary lockdowns, confirmed COVID-19 cases in China have surged," and added, "There is concern about an increase in domestic importation due to the rise in arrivals from China and the potential spread of new variant viruses."

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