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| Korean evacuees from Iraq arrive at Incheon International Airport, Friday. Those who tested negative for COVID-19 will spend the next two weeks in self-quarantine. / Korea Times Photo by Shim Hyun-chul |
Daily COVID-19 cases likely to exceed 100 today: authorities
By Kim Se-jeong
There are increasing concerns about the resurgence of COVID-19 here as a growing number of infection clusters involving fishing boats and churches have been reported amid the government's move to ease quarantine rules and social distancing.
Thirty-two sailors on a Russia-flagged fishing vessel in Busan tested positive for the coronavirus, the Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said Friday, marking the second such outbreak on a vessel docking in Korea.
Later that day, a quarantine team confirmed five additional cases involving Korean engineers who had worked on the ship after it arrived, July 8.
Ninety-four sailors were aboard the 7,733-ton vessel. Sixty-two have tested negative for the virus, but the number of associated cases is expected to rise because the crewmembers had interactions with local people both on and off the ship.
"An additional 13 Russian-flagged vessels with 429 sailors onboard are currently docked in Busan and virus testing is underway for them now. It's highly likely that additional patients, being asymptomatic or with minor symptoms, will turn up," Kwon Joon-wook, a high-ranking KCDC official, said.
The government is considering designating Russia as a high virus risk country.
Also on Friday, two military tanker/transport aircraft brought 293 Korean evacuees from Iraq where they had been working. This was a rescue mission amid a rising number of COVID-19 cases in the country, said Kwon. Forty Korean workers were confirmed to have been infected and were left behind.
The evacuees had the virus test upon arrival ― 89 claimed said they had symptoms ― and those who tested positive were sent to treatment centers, while those who were negative went to two designated locations for quarantine for two weeks. The full test results weren't available as of 5 p.m., Friday.
"The likelihood is very high that the daily COVID-19 count for Friday will exceed 100," Kwon said.
The KCDC reported 41 new cases Thursday, pushing total infections to 13,979. The death toll was 298, one up from the previous day.
Of the 41, 13 were imported cases, while 28 were local in origin.
Among the local infections, 10 were from the Sarang Church in Songpa District, Seoul, which brought the total number of cases related to the church to 18. The Seoul Metropolitan Government banned future gatherings at the church; while a nationwide ban was lifted for the rest of the country as of 6 p.m., Friday.
The local government also vowed to hold those who violate hygiene rules accountable for spreading the virus.
Also, four active-duty soldiers from an army unit in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province were confirmed to have COVID-19, bringing its total to 21.
The resurgence in infection clusters comes as the government is moving to ease quarantine measures.
It has lifted a ban on local churches holding small gatherings and worship activities, which was imposed earlier this month.
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