COVID-19 Patients No. 12 and 14 Discharged Today... Total Discharged Patients 12 (Update)

Image source=Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] Among the confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in South Korea, 2 more patients were discharged on the 18th. The total number of discharged patients has increased to 12.

Kim Gang-rip, Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters for COVID-19 (Vice Minister of Health and Welfare), stated at the regular briefing on the 18th, "This morning, 2 confirmed patients were discharged, bringing the total number of discharged patients to 12." The discharged patients were patient number 12 (born in 1971, male of Chinese nationality) and patient number 14 (born in 1980, female of Chinese nationality), who were released from isolation at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital and immediately left the hospital.

COVID-19 patients are released from isolation after 48 hours have passed since symptoms disappeared, and after two consecutive real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests conducted at 24-hour intervals show negative results. This constitutes a complete recovery diagnosis for COVID-19. Additionally, the attending medical staff make the final decision on discharge by considering the patient's underlying conditions and sequelae.

Patient number 12 was a secondary infection case who had contact with a confirmed patient in Japan and was diagnosed positive on the 1st, then transferred to Bundang Seoul National University Hospital. Patient number 14 is a family member of patient number 12 and a tertiary infection case. She was diagnosed positive on the 2nd during self-quarantine and received treatment at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital.