Severe Overseas Reverse Infection of COVID-19 in Gyeonggi Region... Public Outrage Over Government's No-Action Policy

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] COVID-19 'reverse infections' are spreading in Gyeonggi Province. Reverse infection refers to cases where Koreans who were overseas enter the country and then test positive.

After entering the country, they have become a secondary infection route through family and relatives, increasing the seriousness. On top of this, the management of foreigners entering from overseas is also inadequate, causing the public to tremble with another fear.

The public has been raising voices warning about the seriousness of reverse infections for 1-2 weeks, but they strongly express dissatisfaction, saying the government is only taking complacent measures.

In fact, the situation of overseas reverse infections of COVID-19 in major areas of the province is serious. On the 31st, Baek Gun-gi, mayor of Yongin City, announced on Facebook, "A 20-year-old American female student living in Seongbokjai 2nd Apartment, Beodeulchi Village, Seongbok-dong, Suji-gu, tested positive for COVID-19."

This woman (Yongin case number 52), who entered from the United States on the 26th, developed symptoms of fever, sputum, and chills on the 29th, three days later, and was tested at the Suji-gu Public Health Center screening clinic on the 30th, where she was confirmed positive.

Yongin City transferred this confirmed patient to Seongnam City Medical Center. A specimen was also collected from one family member and sent for testing. As a result, the total number of confirmed cases in Yongin City rose to 52. Among them, 25 people (including 7 confirmed at quarantine stations), accounting for 48.0%, are confirmed cases who entered from overseas.

Yeom Tae-young, mayor of Suwon, also reported on Facebook on the 30th, "Four Suwon citizens in their 40s, 50s, and 20s who entered from overseas tested positive for COVID-19."

The man and woman in their 40s are a married couple who entered from the UK on the 28th with their child and took the 'Safe Return Vehicle' supported by Suwon City to enter the temporary living facility, the Central Election Commission Election Training Center.

The husband (Suwon case number 36) had no symptoms, but the wife (Suwon case number 37) developed a fever the next day.

The family underwent specimen collection at the screening clinic inside the Election Training Center on the 29th, and the couple was confirmed positive on the 30th and transferred to Gyeonggi Provincial Medical Center Anseong Hospital. The child tested negative.

The woman in her 50s (case number 38) also entered from the UK on the 28th, was admitted to the Election Training Center, underwent specimen collection at the screening clinic inside the center the next day, and tested positive on the 30th.

A woman in her 20s (Suwon case number 39) living in Hanil Town Apartment, Jowon 2-dong, Jangan-gu, entered on the 27th from the UK via Qatar, visited the Jangan-gu Public Health Center screening clinic on the 29th due to runny nose and sore throat, underwent specimen collection, tested positive, and was transferred to Gyeonggi Provincial Medical Center Anseong Hospital.

As a result, the total number of confirmed cases in Suwon City rose to 39. Among them, 23 people, accounting for 58.9%, were confirmed at airport quarantine stations or are confirmed cases who entered from overseas.

A woman in her 20s residing in Namyangju, who entered through Incheon International Airport from the United States, also tested positive for COVID-19 on the 31st. Namyangju City announced that A (23), residing in Hwado-eup, tested positive at 7:30 a.m. on the day after undergoing a COVID-19 test at the Eastern Screening Center following entry from the United States on the 29th.

A entered Incheon Airport at 4 a.m. on the 29th with her husband, visited a duty-free shop inside the airport, and then took a taxi home.

It was investigated that she stayed at home until the test was conducted. A and her husband wore masks while moving after entering the airport.

A is currently isolated and receiving treatment at Gyeonggi Provincial Medical Center Pocheon Hospital.

Given this situation, voices criticizing the government's lack of measures and calling for more thorough management of not only Koreans entering from overseas but also foreigners are growing louder.

User ID 'yium****' warned, "I will watch closely how the two are punished... The Gangnam mother and daughter who went to Jeju... The couple who returned to Jeju after traveling to Spain and then went to Seoul and tested positive... Pyeongtaek **, Ansan Hwaseong super spreader 27-year-old woman, Suwon Yeongtong UK **. The government should know that there are more than just one or two people deliberately looking for articles."

Lee Hye-jung, who runs a meat restaurant in Suwon, expressed frustration, saying, "Other countries even close their borders, but we did not block Chinese people even during the initial response, and we are leaving reverse infections coming from overseas unattended."