"China could reach 1 million deaths from corona"... Reinforcing standards

<Anchor>

As China has decided to loosen its strong corona quarantine policy, it is expected that the number of people going abroad from China will increase from next month.

In response, Japan decided to test everyone coming from China for the corona. Now, let's take a closer look at the corona situation in China and what we should do.

First of all, I am Jo Dong-chan, a medical reporter.

<Reporter>

A facility for pregnant women in a small and medium-sized city in China is empty.

The newborn baby room, which was filled with cries of babies, is also empty.

The facility utilization rate, which had been maintained at 90%, fell to 20% within a week of 'With Corona'.

[Facility staff for pregnant women: Now, many customers have already tested positive and have all left the room.]

Even staff who are meticulous about hygiene could not avoid infection.

[Facility staff for pregnant women: (For a week) Now, about 80% of only internal employees are infected.] It is

also difficult to obtain medicines.

[Facility staff for pregnant women: (Can I get a cure for corona now?) None.

(Any antipyretic or cold medicine right now?) Yes, it's sold out, so I can't buy it.] The

outlook for academia is also bleak.

As a result of a study by the University of Hong Kong, if China does not smoothly supply additional vaccinations and treatment drugs after switching to Corona, it is predicted that the number of corona deaths will reach 1 million within a few months.

Our quarantine authorities have also taken action.

[Lim Sook-young/Bang Dae-bon Sanghwal General Manager: The fever standard has been strengthened for entrants from China.

So, it was lowered from 37.5 degrees to 37.3 degrees.]

The quarantine authorities believe that stronger quarantine measures, such as a full inspection of all arrivals from China, are needed, but they are coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

(Video editing: Kim Ho-jin, VJ: Shin So-young, CG: Jang Seong-beom)

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<Anchor>

Let's talk more about this with Cho Dong-chan, a medical reporter.

[Cho Dong-chan/Medical reporter (specialist): Among the confirmed cases from outside the country last month, the proportion from China was 1.1%.

This month it surged to 14.2%.

However, what the quarantine authorities are more concerned about is mutation.

It is estimated that more than 300 million people are infected in China, and if there are many infected people, the variation is proportional.

When the quarantine authorities investigated, the number of mutations reported by China was only 1/3 to 1/4 of that in Korea.

So, since the 16th, all confirmed cases from China have been tested for mutation.

An official from the Central Disaster Prevention Center said that there are 100,000 domestic patients a day, so there is no problem with a few thousand more Chinese patients a day.

It can be said that blocking mutation is the key to minimizing the influence of China, which has been unbarred.]

[Cho Dong-chan/Medical reporter (specialist): The symptoms of BN.1, which seem to be the dominant species in Korea, were investigated by the British Department of Health.

Fever is an uncommon symptom of recent mutations, and infrared thermometers cannot filter out all patients with fever.

Just thinking about quarantine, we need stronger measures to require corona tests before and after entry for people arriving from China, as in Japan or northern Italy.]

[Cho Dong-chan/Medical reporter (specialist): Two days ago, there was an internal countermeasures meeting attended by the Agency for Disease Control and Prevention, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and there was a strong opinion that it was burdensome for us to take strong measures against China first.

Only Japan and northern Italy announced strong measures.

Contrary to media reports, some countries, such as India, the US, the UK and Australia, have not yet taken action.

The quarantine authorities said that it is likely to step up quarantine while looking at the situation.]