The first day of 'confirmation duty'... WHO "Coronavirus will end in 2023"

<Anchor>

Starting today (the 5th), one more quarantine measure will be added.

People coming from China must take care of the corona voice confirmation.

For more information, let's find out by connecting reporters out of Incheon International Airport.

Reporter Shin Yong-shik, it's the first day that the new system was implemented. Were there any major problems at the site today?

<Reporter>

I covered the quarantine site for entrants from China.

It took more time because the procedure for checking the voice confirmation was added, but there was no major confusion.

Instead of looking at the voice confirmation printed out on paper, it is a method of checking the voice confirmation file that the entrants uploaded to the Qcode app through the monitor.

We thoroughly check personal information such as name, date of birth, etc. to ensure that the inspection method and timing of issuance meet the regulations.

The Agency for Disease Control and Prevention plans to check the issuance process through the local diplomatic mission if positive tests come out one after another after entering the country even after submitting a negative confirmation.

Some entrants also complained of inconvenience due to the strengthened quarantine.

[Mr. A/entrant from China: (China) The consulate was not ready, so yesterday they hurriedly gave me a hospital list or something like that, which is embarrassing and inconvenient.]

From the day after tomorrow, voice confirmation will be mandatory for entrants from Hong Kong and Macau.

<Anchor>

How many people came from China today?

<reporter>

Yes, as of 5:00 pm today, 1,05 people entered the country through 9 flights from China.

This is less than 300 people compared to the number of reservations.

There may be cases where you have transferred to another country, but it is estimated that there may have been cases where you could not board the plane because you did not receive a voice confirmation.

In the afternoon, I also stopped by the waiting room for short-term residents, and there were people who were tested positive in the domestic test and went to quarantine facilities.

However, compared to three days ago, when I only tested after entering the country, the number of confirmed cases seemed to be significantly reduced.

The positive rate for short-term residents who entered the country yesterday was 31.5%, which has been rising for three days in a row.

The positive rate of those who entered today will be announced tomorrow morning.

(On-site progress: Choi Jun-shik, video editing: Kim Ho-jin)

---

<Anchor>

I'll organize the corona news with Jo Dong-chan, a medical reporter.

[Cho Dong-chan/Medical reporter (specialist): This is a report from Professor Oh Myeong-don of Seoul National University Hospital.

It is said that this is the first time that the World Health Organization Secretary-General has directly mentioned the end of the corona crisis.]

[Ghebreyesus/World Health Organization Secretary-General: I believe and hope that the COVID-19 public health emergency can officially end this year if we respond appropriately. do.]

[Cho Dong-chan/Medical reporter (specialist): This is the global corona situation.

If we apply the law of epidemics of past infectious diseases here, it is an endemic, or endemic, transition.

However, he strongly criticized China for disclosing information about China, which can worsen the world's corona situation.] 

[Cho Dong-chan/Medical reporter (specialist): The Chinese government announced that there were 8 deaths in the last week of December.

However, a British research team in London analyzed that 9,000 people are dying every day.

Assuming that Hong Kong is similar to China, currently there are about 9 deaths per 1 million people in Hong Kong.

However, it was analyzed that this was not because of a strange mutation, but because of an outpouring of patients at once.

Then what China needs now is medical support.]

[Cho Dong-chan/Medical reporter (specialist): Since mainland China is now conducting PCR after entering the country, it is believed that mutations from China can be traced.

Rather, it is difficult to track the inflow of XBB 1.5 from the US, but the rate of inflow in Korea has been very slow so far, and XBB 1.5 has been well received, so it is not considered a major threat.] 

[Cho Dong-chan/Medical reporter (specialist): Corona patients decreased by 2.6% from last week.

There are more important indicators.

Reduced weekly severity rate from 0.17 to 0.15% and weekly critical rate from 0.08 to 0.07%.

The quarantine authorities are cautious, but analyzed that it has entered endemic.]

▶ "Leave your passport"...

Resident police and soldiers inside and outside the quarantine facility