Updates on COVID-19 in Republic of Korea

14 July, 2020

□ As of 0:00, 14 July 2020, the total number of confirmed cases is 13,512 (including 1,891 imported cases), of which 12,282 cases have been discharged from isolation. There are 14 new local cases, 19 new imported cases, and 0 new deaths.

□ The current state* of major local clusters as of today (as of 12:00, 14 July) are as follows:

* The specific figures below may differ from the daily reported statistics (which are based on figures as of 0:00 today) or figures disclosed by local municipalities due to factors such as report timing and differences in the time period considered

○ Related to an office in Gwanak-gu, Seoul City, 7 additional cases were confirmed after the index case (a visitor) was confirmed on 12 July. In total, 8* cases have been confirmed.

* Seoul = 3 cases, Gyeonggi = 3 cases, Jeonbuk = 2 cases

○ Related to the Yeoksam-dong V Building in Gangnam-gu, Seoul City, 7* additional cases were confirmed after the index case was confirmed on 2 July. In total, 8 cases have been confirmed.

* Categorized as a cluster as a result of epidemiological investigation of a confirmed case with links to an office in the Yeoksam-dong Victoria Building

* visitors = 4, acquaintance and family members = 3

○ Related to telecommunications-related workers in Gangnam-gu, Seoul City, 4* additional cases were confirmed after the index case was confirmed on 11 July. In total, 5 cases have been confirmed.

* 1 co-worker from a directly managed telecommunications store, 1 co-worker from a distributor-managed store, 2 family members

○ Related to a family in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon City, 1 additional case was confirmed. In total, 7* cases have been confirmed.

* Gyeonggi = 6 cases, Seoul = 1 case

○ Related to the door-to-door sales group in Gwangju City, 1 additional case was confirmed. The new case is related to T WORLD (mobile phone store). In total, 141* cases have been confirmed.

              * Subject to change based on findings from epidemiological investigation

□ As of 0:00, 14 July, there were 19 imported cases, of which, 12 were confirmed at the point of entry, and 7 were confirmed in the community while under mandatory self-quarantine upon arrival.

○ The (presumed) location of infection acquisition of the 19 new imported cases are: America (4) (US 3, Mexico 1), Africa (4) (Republic of South Africa 2, Ethiopia 2), and Asia excluding China (11) (Kazakhstan 5; Uzbekistan 2; Philippines 1; Kyrgyzstan 1; Iraq 1; Russia 1).

* Figures may change based on findings from ongoing local epidemiological investigation efforts

□ In response to the recent imported cases, KCDC will continue to analyze the COVID-19 situation in other countries and formulate practical response plans to prevent importation of cases from abroad.

○ The number of today’s new confirmed cases worldwide* is 190,924.

* New confirmed cases by day: 2,125 (1 February) → 1,232 (1 March) → 72,045 (1 April) → 83,271 (1 May) → 104,195 (1 June) → 169,401 (1 July)

○ Compared to the week prior (28 June ~ 4 July), cases are increasing* in most continents. Weekly new case numbers were: Latin America 444,283 (31.9%), North America 382,479 (27.4%), and Asia 260,260 (18.6%), when ordered from highest to lowest.

* US, Brazil, and India’s new case numbers accounted for 60% of new cases worldwide last week

○ Recent COVID-19 control situation of other countries are;

- For the last 2 weeks (28 June ~ 11 July), there were 11 countries with over 120 cumulative confirmed cases per 100,000 population, including the US, Brazil, and Kazakhstan (others include the Dominican Republic, Panama, Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Republic of South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Armenia). (Based on ECDC, as of 13 July)

(ECDC, 13 July)>

- In the case of the US, daily confirmed cases have reached record-breaking numbers of over 50,000, to which 16 states have responded by postponing or taking back plans to reopen their economies.

(as of 13 July)>

- In the case of Japan, daily new cases number at about 200, and new clusters are centered around nightlife venues and Japan’s younger population.

○ During weeks 12 to 16, when imported cases were on the rise, cases consisted mostly of Korean nationals and students returning from abroad. Starting from week 20, the proportion of cases involving foreign nationals began to increase. Starting from week 24, the proportion of cases involving foreign nationals were greater than that involving Korean nationals. During weeks 25 to 28, the number of imported confirmed cases and cases involving foreign nationals* both increased.

        * Week 27 58.5% (69 cases / 118 cases) vs. Week 28 73.4% (116 cases / 158 cases), Increase

○ In order to stop the transmission of COVID-19 from imported cases to the local community,

▴ Limiting visa issuance and flight schedule

▴ Having regular flights fly under 60% seat capacity

▴ Limiting re-entry of individuals to Korea when departing for designated countries.

         * Issued from testing/medical facilities designated by Republic of Korea’s overseas embassies or consulates

- Other than these measures, irregular flights from countries with a risk of rapid increase in numbers will be reduced, based on the live monitoring of imported cases.

□ KCDC revealed that 390 cured patients (15 additional participants) have signed up to donate their plasma for the development of COVID-19 plasma therapy. Plasma collection has been completed for 182 of the donors as of today.

* Plasma therapy requires a large amount of blood as it involves formulating a concentrated form of the antibodies and immunoglobulin from the blood of people who have recovered from COVID-19.

○ KCDC expressed gratitude for the additional people who signed up to donate their plasma, and encouraged more eligible people to participate.

* Participating hospitals: Korea University Ansan Hospital, Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu Fatima Hospital / For inquiries, dial 1522-6487

□ KCDC stated that 24 hospitals with 49 severe patients whave submitted their requests, received ‘Remdesivir,’ which has been specially imported for COVID-19 treatment.

□ KCDC advised caution as the consistent local community transmissions are occurring in publicly-used facilities, social gatherings, long-term care facilities, and educational facilities.

                        * Figures may change based on findings from ongoing local epidemiological investigation efforts

○ COVID-19 can spread in a closed, crowded, and close-contact settings. Therefore, people are urged to postpone social gatherings and activities or alter to non-face-to-face methods, while refraining from going to door-to-door sales activities or publicly used facilities.

- Hand washing, mask wearing, and social distancing (2m recommended) should be practied in everyday life.

□ KCDC advised caution since the water damage from the rainy season may also cause increased of various infectious diseases (waterborne infectious diseases, mosquito-borne diseases, skin disease, etc.).

○ Infectious diseases that mainly occur during the rainy season are;

- Waterborne infectious diseases transmitted by food and drink, such as bacterial heterogeneity, typhoid fever, intestinal hemorrhagic E. coli or norovirus infectious disease,

- Japanese encephalitis patients with a increase of mosquitos and malaria for those in the northern Gyeonggi area.

○ To prevent the major infectious diseases that occur in the rainy season, KCDC stressed that

▴Food and drink should be thoroughly heated before consumption

▴Cooked food should not be kept for long

▴Individual hygiene such as handwashing is very important

[Figure 1: Daily new confirmed cases by chain of transmission]

TOTAL

Seoul City

Incheon City

Gyeonggi Province

Daejeon City

Gwangju City

[ Age distribution of severe cases ]

[Figure 2: New cases (for last 2 weeks) by chain of transmission]