South Korea: 219 coronavirus cases linked to nightclub cluster

Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, Korea’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on May 23 revealed that there have now been a total of 219 cases linked to a single coronavirus cluster that began in certain nightclubs. According to reports, a 29-year-old man in South Korea who was COVID-19 positive had visited several night clubs.

According to reports, the man infected 95 people while in Itaewon and then they went on to further spread the virus. Thankfully authorities in South Korea were quickly able to identify and trace the possible infected individuals.

Re-tested positive patients not contagious

South Korean health officials reportedly said on May 18 that patients who re-tested positive for coronavirus after being discharged from the hospital are not contagious. The Korean Centre for Disease Control (KCDC) reportedly made announcements after conducting lab tests of 108 cases and epidemiology investigations on 285 cases to find out whether the coronavirus patients should be quarantined for two weeks after being released from the hospital.

According to the international media reports, the health officials tested around 790 close contacts of the 285 cases who re-tested positive after recovering from coronavirus but they did not find any infections. The health officials reportedly said that they cannot say why some of the patients were re-testing positive for the virus. On the other hand, they added that the experts believe that PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test was detecting pieces of dead virus.

Read: COVID-19: South Korea Claims Patients Who Re-tested Positive Are Not Contagious

Read: South Korea Reports 23 New Coronavirus Cases

Children return to schools

South Korean students began returning to schools May 20 as their country prepares for a new normal amid the coronavirus pandemic. Hundreds of thousands of high school seniors entered their schools after having their temperatures checked and rubbing their hands with sanitizers. Students and teachers are required to wear masks in classrooms, and some schools installed plastic partitions at each student’s desk, according to the Education Ministry.

Read: South Koreans Return To School Amid Virus Outbreak

Read: South Korea: Prosecutors Demand 35-year Jail Term For Former President Park Geun-hye