22 Russian Crew Members Arriving at Gamcheon Port Test Negative for COVID-19

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyo-jin] Among the 44 crew members of the Tuvalu-flagged deep-sea fishing vessel K, which docked at Busan Gamcheon Port and had one confirmed case of COVID-19, 22 crew members who were tested later received negative results. Thus, no additional confirmed cases have been found among the 43 crew members except for the one confirmed case.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced on the 14th that 22 Russian crew members of the 499-ton Tuvalu-flagged deep-sea fishing vessel K, which docked at the west pier of Busan Gamcheon Port on the 8th for hull repairs, tested negative for COVID-19.

The quarantine authorities conducted tests on the 22 crew members who had not been tested among the total 44 crew members on that day. Previously, among the other 22 crew members tested, one was confirmed positive and 21 tested negative. The quarantine authorities plan to isolate the 43 crew members who tested negative on board for two weeks until the 28th, monitoring their fever and other symptoms.

The K vessel, a deep-sea fishing boat registered in Tuvalu, a small island country in the South Pacific, came to Gamcheon Port for repairs. The ship first docked on the 16th of last month, briefly departed on the 7th of this month, and then re-entered Gamcheon Port on the 8th, carrying 15 additional replacement crew members along with the existing 29 crew members from the open sea.

Subsequently, 22 crew members requested to disembark, and during the boarding quarantine inspection by quarantine staff, fever symptoms were detected. As a result of the diagnostic test, one crew member tested positive. The confirmed case has been transferred to Busan Medical Center for treatment.