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| Ambulances carry away Korean evacuees from Wuhan, who showed symptoms associated with the coronavirus infection, upon their arrival at Gimpo International Airport, Friday. Among 368 Korean evacuees from the coronavirus-hit Chinese city, 18 were sent to hospitals, while the remaining 350 were quarantined in government-run facilities. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul |
Korea confirms five more cases of new coronavirus Friday
By Jun Ji-hye
Some 350 evacuees from the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan were quarantined in two government-run facilities in the Chungcheong provinces Friday, after a chartered Korean Air plane carrying 368 Koreans arrived at Gimpo International Airport at about 8 a.m., according to the foreign ministry and police officials.
The 18 eighteen others were sent to the National Medical Center (14), and Chung-Ang University Hospital (four) as they exhibited symptoms associated with the coronavirus infection, such as fever, during screening.
Amid the rapid spread of the virus worldwide, Korea reported five more cases Friday, bringing the total number of infected people to 11.
Among the five, two are believed to be tertiary infection cases as they are family members of the sixth patient confirmed as the nation's first case of a person-to-person transmission the previous day, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Speaking to reporters at Gimpo airport, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official said, "Korean residents boarded the plane in an orderly manner, and all passengers on board wore masks."
Of the 350 Koreans, 200 were sent by buses to the Police Human Resources Development Institute in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, while 150 were sent to the National Human Resources Development Institute in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province.
They will be kept in quarantine for 14 days and will be allowed to return home if they show no symptoms of the disease during the incubation period.
Residents in Asan and Jincheon had strongly reacted against the government's plan to house the evacuees in the areas amid concerns over potential infection, but decided to accept the quarantine plan after a residents meeting
The residents instead asked the government to carry out appropriate surveillance and quarantine activities in the areas.
"We decided to withdraw our opposition to the government's decision to place the evacuees from Wuhan," said Yoon Jae-seon, who represents residents in Jincheon. "However, we urge the government to take every possible measure to ensure the safety of residents, and provide enough masks."
Some residents participated in a campaign on Facebook and other social network services, calling for people to embrace the evacuees who have had a hard time in the Chinese city.
"I believe you must have suffered agony and despair there, please get enough rest in Asan," an Asan resident wrote on Facebook.
Under an initial evacuation plan, Korea had planned to send four flights to Wuhan to bring back about 720 Koreans.
But the government sent only one flight Thursday night after consultations with China.
The country has been struggling to contain the rapid spread of the novel virus, tightening its quarantine rules and starting to check everyone returning from Wuhan, regardless of them showing any signs of illness.
Airlines, travel agencies and duty-free stores here are suffering a heavy hit to their earnings as an increasing number of people here are canceling trips to China. Inbound travelers from China will also likely decrease sharply as the government there banned its citizens from booking overseas tours and purchasing overseas flights and hotel packages, starting Jan. 27.
