Conflicting Information from China... After Plague, Pneumonia Also Disrupts Korea-China-Japan Hotline

Domestic Health Authorities Reverse Stance on 'Human-to-Human Transmission'
Despite Promises to Strengthen Infectious Disease Response... Trilateral Hotline Still Ineffective

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Domestic health authorities have been inconsistent about the possibility of human-to-human transmission of 'Wuhan pneumonia,' raising concerns about problems in information sharing with the Chinese government. There is criticism that the 'health hotline' established for information sharing among Korea, China, and Japan during infectious disease outbreaks did not function properly this time as well.

According to domestic health authorities on the 21st, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) initially considered the possibility of human-to-human transmission to be low based on the Wuhan health authorities' announcement when the first suspected patient appeared on the 7th. Accordingly, KDCA limited contact tracing to medical staff and workplace colleagues of the suspected patient. At that time, a KDCA official explained, "Since no human-to-human transmission cases had been found in China and others, and no infections were reported among medical staff who would be the first exposed if transmission were possible, contact tracing was limited accordingly."

However, 13 days later, health authorities raised the infectious disease crisis alert level to 'caution,' stating that human-to-human transmission is possible. Regarding this change in stance, KDCA explained that it was based on information from China, but there are criticisms that our health authorities relied too heavily on the uncooperative Chinese government in information sharing. Minister of Health and Welfare Park Neung-hoo also acknowledged the practical limitations the day before, saying, "We trust the Chinese (government) announcements, but due to the nature of their system, there is a possibility that they do not disclose everything." This implicitly admits that the hotline established for information sharing among Korea, China, and Japan during infectious disease outbreaks is not functioning properly.

The trilateral health hotline also failed during the plague outbreak in China last year. In November last year, when a plague patient appeared in Inner Mongolia, China, our government confirmed the case through the Korean Embassy in China rather than the hotline, as the Chinese government did not provide any information via the hotline. Subsequently, at the trilateral health ministers' meeting held in Seoul on December 14-15 last year, the three countries resolved to establish a hotline among agency heads to strengthen infectious disease response. However, inconsistent judgments by health authorities regarding Wuhan pneumonia revealed that even the hotline among agency heads was not functioning. A medical sector official pointed out, "Instead of making the hotline a mere formality, our side should strongly request cooperation from the Chinese government so that even the existing hotline can function properly."