CASES OF IMPORTED COVID-19 SURGE

[Anchor Lead]

Seoul and its surrounding areas are where the most COVID-19 cases imported from overseas are based. An increasing number of Korean students studying overseas is being found to have been infected with the virus after coming back to Korea. Now the imported cases account for the largest portion of coronavirus infections confirmed in the metropolitan area. And this is why it is never enough to stress the importance of self-isolation for those coming in from overseas.

[Pkg]

​​Located in Gangnam-gu District in Seoul,this high-rise apartment consists of seven buildings and houses 2,500 families. Four COVID-19 cases -- two people who recently returned from overseas and two of their family members -- were confirmed in two of the buildings.

[Soundbite] (APARTMENT RESIDENT(VOICE MODIFIED)) : "There was an announcement urging residents to take caution, as infections were confirmed in two buildings."

Disinfection work has been completed on building entrances, elevators and parking lots. The Gangnam District Office has decided to conduct coronavirus tests on all residents of the two buildings. Nine out of ten cases confirmed in Gangnam-gu District over the last two days are those returning from overseas and their families. Across Seoul, 15 out of 24 confirmed cases are those who returned from abroad. Of the returnees, nine came back from the U.S. and three from the U.K. Three others were from Brazil, Thailand and Spain. A total of 413 infections have been confirmed in Seoul as of Sunday, and among them, 112 were imported cases. The imported cases now outnumber infections reported from a call center in Guro-gu District in southwestern Seoul. The number of imported cases is expected to increase for the time being.

[Soundbite] JUNG EUN-KYEONG(DIRECTOR, KOREA CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION) : "With arrivals of Korean expatriates from overseas, imported cases account for over 40 percent of the total infections."

The number of secondary and tertiary infections is also rising. In Gwanak-gu District, infections were also reported in the parents of a COVID-19 patient who was confirmed after returning from the U.S. The government is again urging people returning from overseas to self-isolate, warning that violations will result in harsh punishment.