SouthKorea

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  S. Korea advises not to wear COVID-19 masks while social distancing outdoors to prevent heatstroke SEOUL -- South Korea's disease control headquarters has advised people not to wear masks if they are keeping a social distance of two meters (6.5 feet) in outdoor environments in order to prevent heat-related illnesses. "If keeping a social distance of two meters is possible, we advise people not to wear a mask," Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) Director Jeong Eun-Kyeong told reporters during a regular briefing on Monday. The KCDC director sai 2020-06-22
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  Incheon City opens dog care centers for COVID-19 patients SEOUL -- The western port city of Incheon has opened dog care centers for COVID-19 patients who have to enter hospitals or temporary "life-care" community treatment centers for treatment that would require several weeks of parting. Incheon said that it became the first city in South Korea to open 10 dog care centers when their masters infected with a new coronavirus stay away for treatment. COVID-19 patients can request local community health center officials to pick up th 2020-06-19
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  Temporary treatment centers in Seoul area to cope with growing number of COVID-19 patients SEOUL -- To cope with a growing number of patients infected with a new coronavirus in Seoul and its surrounding province, South Korea will increase the number of state-designated community treatment centers that serve as temporary hospitals for COVID-19 patients showing minor symptoms. To prevent a long queue in patients waiting for beds at isolation wards, patients have been divided into two groups. Critical patients have been treated at negative pressure wards at big general hospi 2020-06-19
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  COVID-19 runs ahead in cat-and-mouse game with quarantine authorities: official SEOUL -- COVID-19 is always running ahead in a desperate cat-and-mouse game with quarantine officials, making it difficult to preclude cross-contamination by confirmed virus carriers in crowded urban areas, a top health official said. South Korea eased strict social distancing in early May after achieving a certain degree of success in its battle to contain a COVID-19 epidemic, but the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) has struggled with dozens of new cases eve 2020-06-10
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  Busan city buses introduce high-efficiency particulate air filters SEOUL -- Citizens in South Korea's southern port city of Busan feel safe without worrying much about droplet infection caused by coughing and sneezing when they use transit buses. Wearing masks is compulsory aboard intra-city buses installed with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters. Busan with a population of 3.4 million is the first South Korean city to introduce HEPA-class filers for city buses. Masks also prevent droplet infection but HEPA filters are critical in p 2020-06-09
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  12 krill oil products taken off shelf for containing harmful substances SEOUL -- South Korea's public health watchdog will check the safety of imported raw materials for krill oil after finding that some products sold in the domestic market contained banned substances or an excessive level of solvents. The watchdog urged consumers not to be deceived by false or hyped advertising that krill oil enhances immunity. Krill oil, which is an extract prepared from a species of Antarctic krill, contains omega-3 fatty acids which are thought to decrease swell 2020-06-09
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  Consumers spend 60% of relief money on food-related items SEOUL -- Some 60 percent of the one-off payment of relief money to all households, which have seen their income shrinking due to the reduction of economic activity since a new coronavirus epidemic hit South Korea in January, was spent on purchasing food-related products, eating out or ordering food for delivery. South Korea started paying a total of 14.24 trillion won ($11.62 billion) in emergency disaster relief money to 21.7 million households from May 11. One person household rec 2020-06-03
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  Incheon port city to operate free drive-in theater for moviegoers SEOUL -- In an effort to relieve social stress, the western port city of Incheon has arranged special treatment for moviegoers who cannot go to theaters because of social distancing that has discourages people from visiting multi-use facilities to avoid the infection of COVID-19. Incheon said in a statement on Wednesday that it would hold free weekend drive-in theater events from June 6 through October 30 to screen popular Holywood films such as "School of Rock" and " 2020-06-03
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  Health officials classify two suspected MIS-C cases as Kawasaki disease SEOUL -- South Korean health officials officially classified two children, who were treated for showing the suspected pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome, as Kawasaki cases, not related to COVID-19. Still, experts cannot give a clear explanation due to the lack of scientific data. Based on initial diagnosis by medical experts, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) concluded that the two children, including an 11-year-old boy and a four-year-old girl, h 2020-06-03
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  S. Korea unveils roadmap for COVID-19 drugs and treatment SEOUL -- South Korea unveiled a roadmap for the treatment of COVID-19 to develop plasma treatment by the year's end as well as antibody treatment and vaccines next year through active clinical research with an injection of some 100 billion won ($82 million) in the second half of this year. The government aims to develop a vaccine in the second half of next year. Researchers are testing one vaccine for synthetic antigen using protein and two vaccines using DNA. "By combin 2020-06-03
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  Strengthened anti-epidemic measures taken in metropolitan area SEOUL -- Alarmed by a quick spike in the number of coronavirus patients in a cluster infection at a logistics center run by Coupang, a major online shopping operator, South Korea announced a two-week period of strengthened anti-epidemic measures and social distancing in the densely populated metropolitan area to prevent a new wave of COVID-19. Health and Welfare Minister Park Neung-hoo said that the government will strengthen quarantine control in all sectors of the Seoul metropolit 2020-05-28
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  Eco-friendly buoys recommended to replace styrofoam for aquaculture SEOUL -- As part of a campaign to reduce plastic pollution in the ocean, styrofoam buoys used widely for aquaculture in South Korea will be replaced with eco-friendly or biodegradable ones by 2025 as foamed polystyrene pollution raised significant concerns relating to environmental and human health. There is growing concern over plastic debris and their fragments as a carrier for hazardous substances in the marine ecosystem. Foamed polystyrene is often used in aquafarming, but polys 2020-05-28
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  Two children recovering well from multi-system inflammatory syndrome SEOUL -- Two children hospitalized for showing pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome for the first time in South Korea are recovering well from their disease, with an 11-year-old boy already discharged after treatment. A four-year-old girl is still under treatment, but health officials are optimistic about her recovery. Cases of multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) have been reported in the U.S. and Europe. The inflammatory response shares common features 2020-05-27
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  ​Improved personal hygiene prompted by COVID-19 lowers number of common cold patients SEOUL -- A COVID-19 pandemic that prompted people to improve their personal hygiene habits such as wearing masks and sanitizing hands has eventually lowered the number of patients visiting clinics for the treatment of a common cold. According to UBCARE, a digital healthcare company, the number of common cold-related prescriptions issued by clinics and hospitals has decreased by 71 percent in April compared to the same period last year. The company used its medical prescription analy 2020-05-26
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  Young man becomes first to get jail sentence for violating quarantine rules SEOUL -- A 27-year-old man was sentenced to four months in prison, becoming the first person to receive a jail term in South Korea for violating rules on obligatory quarantine imposed by health authorities to monitor health conditions after he contacted or stayed close to COVID-19 patients at a hospital. The man identified by his surname Kim was punished under a new infectious disease control law which was strengthened on April 5. Initially, the law had the highest sentence of three 2020-05-26
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  QR code electronic registration adopted in S. Korea to trace dance club visitors SEOUL -- For a quick epidemiological investigation by South Korean health officials into the origin of COVID-19 infection, visitors to dance clubs and singing rooms that have a high risk of infection will have to register their identity using a QR code-based smartphone verification system. From June 1, the electronic visitor registration system will be compulsory for high-risk facilities such as dance clubs, Hunting Pocha, and singing rooms, while it is recommended for restaurants, 2020-05-25
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  Health officials urge young people to refrain from visiting dance clubs and bars SEOUL -- South Korea's top health official made an ardent appeal to young people, saying they should refrain from visiting dance clubs, bars and singing rooms as a COVID-19 outbreak that began in a shopping and entertainment district in Seoul continue to cause incessant community infections. The national epidemic control tower reported 20 new infections on May 21. The death toll remained unchanged at 264 and 716 patients are under treatment at designated hospitals. Health off 2020-05-22
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  [FOCUS] President Moon's initiative to nurture telemedicine triggers backlash from doctors SEOUL -- A coronavirus pandemic rekindled debate over the introduction of telehealth in South Korea well known for its ultra-fast mobile telecom network that opened a connected society, on a new initiative by President Moon Jae-in to nurture "untact" medical services as a new growth engine in the post-COVID-19 era. Moon has praised the medical community for helping South Korea earn global recognition as a model country in quarantine, suggesting that South Korea should inte 2020-05-20
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  New app available for medical staff to receive correct information about COVID-19 SEOUL -- A smartphone app has been developed in a state project to provide accurate and verified information about a novel coronavirus to doctors and other medical personnel who have been deluged with lots of unfiltered or misguided data every day at the front line. Medical staff can download the so-called "Disaster Med Info" app from May 18 to receive up-to-date information about COVID-19 as well as the latest medical journals and educational data, said the Ministry of In 2020-05-18
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  Xi affirms determination to visit S. Korea this year during phone talks with Moon: Yonhap SEOUL -- Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed that he remains firmly committed to a plan to visit South Korea within this year, speaking on the phone with President Moon Jae-in. Moon replied that Xi's trip here is "more important than any other thing" in Seoul-Beijing relations, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok. They agreed to continue consultations so that the visit can be made "at an appropriate time" as soon as coronavirus situations s 2020-05-14