The second imported case of 2019 novel coronavirus(2019-nCoV) in Korea

○ The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(KCDC) has confirmed the second imported case of 2019 novel coronavirus(2019-nCoV) from Wuhan, Hubei Province, China on 24 January 2020.

○ The case is a 55 year old Korean male, who has been working in Wuhan. While case-patient was working at Wuhan, he had initially developed cough and sore throat on 10 January 2020 then he visited the local hospital in China. Upon his arrival at Gimpo Airport, Korea via Shanghai on 22 January 2020, the case was detected during entry screening conducted by the quarantine station.

○ He was designated by active monitoring with fever, cough and sore throat. During this active monitoring period, he visited a designated healthcare facility by the Public Health Center on 23 January 2020 and confirmed positive for novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) on 24 January 2020 by sequencing at the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(KCDC).

○ KCDC said that “since the case-patient was fully aware Wuhan situation, he filled up well the health questionnaire and cooperate with the public health during active monitoring. The in-depth epidemiological investigation and contact tracing are underway. We will inform the further detailed information as soon as it is available”.

○ Meanwhile, the World Health Organization(WHO) has decided not to consider the coronavirus outbreak in China as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern(PHEIC) and its emergency committee will reconvene in approximately 10 days.

○ As of Jan 24, 2020, 2 cases have been confirmed, and all 25 PUIs(Patient Under Investigation)

tested negative for the 2019-nCoV.