Daegu, 2 Foreigners Testing Positive for 'COVID-19' Upon Entry... 2 Others Test Negative on Retest

Two Previously Confirmed Patients Discharged as 'False Positives'... "Apologies for Overlooking Cross-Contamination Due to High Testing Volume from Yeongi Academy"

On July 6th, a COVID-19 related support message '#국민 덕분에' is displayed on the exterior wall of the Kyobo Life Building in Gwanghwamun, Jongno-gu, Seoul.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Dong-wook] In Daegu, two people were confirmed positive as imported cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). Additionally, during the contact testing process for multiple confirmed cases originating from a Yeongi academy, an error occurred, resulting in a farce where two individuals who were confirmed positive were discharged as 'false positives.'

According to Daegu City on the 6th, a foreigner who arrived on the 3rd stayed one day at the Incheon temporary quarantine facility and was tested at the Dongdaegu Station walk-through screening clinic on the 4th, receiving a final positive diagnosis on the 5th. Another foreigner who entered the country on the 4th was also confirmed positive on the 5th.

Separately, Mr. A, related to the first confirmed case at the Yeongi academy on the 2nd, and student B, who was confirmed positive after showing symptoms post-attendance, were both found to be 'false positives' after retesting recommended by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), with both testing negative.

As of midnight on the 6th, the cumulative number of confirmed cases in Daegu remains at 6,924. The number of recovered patients in Daegu is 6,800 (96.9%), and the death toll stands at 185.

Meanwhile, regarding the two 'false positive' cases, Daegu City stated that although retesting should have been conducted considering the possibility of cross-contamination from other specimens amid the numerous confirmed cases originating from the Yeongi academy, the large volume of tests (303 cases) requested to the Health and Environment Research Institute at that time led to the oversight of retesting these cases.

Daegu City explained that during the process of reporting test results to the KDCA, retesting was conducted upon KDCA's recommendation, and both cases were finally confirmed negative on the 5th.

In this regard, Daegu City apologized, stating, "We will make every effort to prevent cross-contamination through thorough investigation and education by accurately identifying the causes of false positives so that such cases do not occur again in the future." They also expressed deep apologies to the two individuals and their families who suffered physical and mental harm due to the false positive cases, as well as to the citizens classified as contacts.