Positive Rate of Arrivals from China Yesterday at 3.6%... Government Likely to Resume Issuance of Short-Term Chinese Visas

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Byeon Seon-jin] The COVID-19 positivity rate among arrivals who underwent immediate testing at the airport after departing from China the previous day was found to be 3.6%.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters on the 9th, out of 252 short-term foreign visitors who arrived at Incheon International Airport from China on the 8th and underwent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, 9 tested positive. The positivity rate was 3.6%, an increase compared to the previous day (0.3%, 1 confirmed case). To minimize the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak and variants in China on the domestic situation, the government has implemented mandatory COVID-19 PCR testing upon arrival and restrictions on issuing short-term visas for arrivals from China from the 2nd of last month until the end of this month.

The health authorities view the COVID-19 situation in China as stabilizing and are expected to lift the short-term visa issuance restrictions for China soon. However, the two COVID-19 tests before and after arrival will remain in place until the end of this month.

Since the mandatory COVID-19 testing for arrivals from China was implemented on the 2nd of last month, a total of 55,934 people have entered the country through airports from China. The cumulative positivity rate among short-term visitors tested at the airport reached 7.6% (786 confirmed cases out of 10,371 tested). The cumulative positivity rate for short-term visitors, which had been in the 20% range, has been steadily decreasing since the introduction of mandatory pre-arrival testing on the 5th of last month.

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