Student COVID-19 Cases Increase After 8 Weeks

16,208 Student COVID-19 Cases from 11th to 17th... About 2,400 More Than Previous Week
Isolated and Confirmed Examinees Can Take Exams at Separate Test Centers and Hospital Beds

On the 18th, 30 days before the 2023 College Scholastic Ability Test, third-year high school students are studying on their own at a high school in Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] As the decline in COVID-19 cases slows down, the number of student COVID-19 cases rebounded ahead of the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) on November 17.

On the 19th, the Ministry of Education announced that 16,208 students nationwide in kindergartens, elementary, middle, and high schools tested positive for COVID-19 during the week from November 11 to 17. This is an increase of 2,464 cases compared to the previous week (October 4 to 10), when 13,744 students were confirmed positive. This marks the first increase in weekly student cases in eight weeks.

Looking at the number of confirmed student cases by school level over the past week, elementary school students accounted for the largest share with 7,261 cases (44.8%). This was followed by middle school students with 5,003 cases (30.9%), high school students with 3,384 cases (20.9%), and kindergarteners with 481 cases (3.0%).

By region, 8,361 cases (51.6%) occurred in the metropolitan area, including Gyeonggi Province (4,283 cases), Seoul (2,875 cases), and Incheon (1,203 cases). Non-metropolitan areas accounted for 7,847 cases (48.4%).

Meanwhile, students who test positive for COVID-19 ahead of the CSAT on December 17 will take the exam at separate testing centers. According to the Ministry of Education’s 2023 CSAT smooth operation measures, to prevent the spread of infectious diseases at test sites, separate testing centers will be operated for general test-takers and those in isolation. There are a total of 1,265 testing centers nationwide for general test-takers and 108 separate testing centers for isolated students.

Students currently hospitalized for COVID-19 treatment will also be able to take the exam. The Ministry of Education has designated 24 hospital testing centers nationwide to accommodate students undergoing treatment.

Students who receive isolation notices after November 11 will be assigned to pre-designated separate testing centers. Students who get tested at hospitals, clinics, or public health center screening clinics on the day before the CSAT (November 16) should inform the testing staff that they are CSAT test-takers for prompt action, and if they test positive, they must immediately report the test results to the relevant education office.