Fever Symptoms in 8-Month-Old Infant, COVID-19 Test 'Negative' (Update)

Emergency medical technicians are transporting suspected patients among the overseas Koreans returning on the third charter flight to designated hospitals. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] An 8-month-old infant who showed fever symptoms among the third group of Koreans returning from Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, and their family members with Chinese nationality was transferred to a medical institution and tested negative for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on the 14th, the infant, who was admitted to the Defense Language Institute of the Joint Military University in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, was transferred to the National Medical Center on the night of the 13th due to fever symptoms and underwent diagnostic testing and treatment. Jung Eun-kyung, director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said at a regular briefing that afternoon, "We received a report that the infant tested negative for COVID-19." She added, "Since the infant is 8 months old, the mother accompanied the child to the hospital," and "The mother is considered asymptomatic, and once the child receives some treatment, they are expected to return to the temporary living facility."

The third group of 147 people, including Koreans returning on a temporary flight on the 12th and their family members with Chinese nationality, are all residing at the Defense Language Institute. Additionally, one Korean grandmother requested admission to the institute to care for her Chinese daughter-in-law and two grandchildren who returned from Wuhan, making a total of 148 residents. According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, the voluntarily admitted grandmother undergoes health status and clinical symptom checks, including twice-daily fever checks, and will be allowed to leave only after undergoing diagnostic testing like other residents upon discharge.

According to the announcement by the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters the previous day, all members of the third group of Koreans and their family members with Chinese nationality tested negative in diagnostic tests. Their temporary living facilities operate with one person per room, but children under 12 years old or disabled individuals who require guardians may stay together with their caregivers.

Meanwhile, among the 701 Koreans who returned from Wuhan in the first and second groups and were admitted to the Asan Police Human Resources Development Institute and Jincheon National Government Human Resources Development Institute, 699 people, excluding two who tested positive during admission, are scheduled to be discharged on the 15th and 16th.

Only those who tested negative in diagnostic tests conducted on the 13th and 14th will be discharged, and they will receive health education before discharge. Local governments will also provide related living information such as job opportunities. After the residents leave, each facility will be disinfected, and all waste within the facility will be incinerated as medical waste.

Park Neung-hoo, head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of Health and Welfare), expressed deep gratitude, saying, "We sincerely thank the citizens of Asan and Jincheon who warmly welcomed the first and second groups of Koreans returning from Wuhan."