S. Korea confirms 17 cases of COVID-19 on docked Russian ships
  • 4 years ago
부산항 러시아 선박 확진 17명•접촉자 176명

A Covid-19 cluster infection confirmed on two Russian cargo ships docked in the southeastern city of Busan.
17 Russian sailors from the boats have tested positive so far.
More than 170 people at the port are reported to have come in contact with them and are now being tested.
Jang Tae-hyun reports.
This new cluster has again put the South Korean health authorities on high alert, and highlighted a glaring loophole in port quarantine.
On the first ship in Busan where the virus was found, 16 of its 21 crew tested positive on Tuesday and were sent to the Busan Medical Center.
Later, one more sailor on a ship docked next to it tested positive as well.
The first ship had arrived at Busan's Gamcheon Port early Sunday from Vladivostok.
Already three of the crew had high fevers.
The authorities are now testing the people who came in contact with the crew, most of whom are port workers who'd been helping unload cargo and repairing the ship.
"Including five other sailors, we are testing 176 people who were in contact with the infected. These include 21 crew from a ship nearby and 63 other port employees who helped with unloading."
The city government has quarantined these people and will be testing them.
Also, South Korea will soon start testing ship crew members from Russia before they can disembark.
Currently, when Russian sailors come into the country they only have to submit a health questionnaire, which is how the crew with fevers managed to enter undetected.
Jang Tae-hyun, Arirang News.