TOUGHENED TESTS AGAINST CORONAVIRUS

[Anchor Lead]

Now so far, tests for coronavirus have only been conducted on those suspected of showing symptoms after returning from Wuhan. The government has decided to step up its measures and all people traveling from the Chinese city will be required to undergo tests. How the government will test the thousands of people coming from the epicenter of the outbreak? Let's take a look.

[Pkg]

A total of 6,000 people have entered Korea from Wuhan this month. The government has begun taking steps to conduct coronavirus tests on all of these travelers. So far, only those showing suspicious symptoms, like coughs and fever, were subject to tests. However, all travelers from Wuhan, including those with no symptoms, will have to be tested, because two new cases were confirmed among those who were showing no symptoms upon entering the country.

[Soundbite] JUNG EUN-KYEONG(DIR., CENTER FOR KCDC) : "We have a list of all people who visited Wuhan but showed no symptoms. Medical institutions have basic information to some extent, since we informed them of the list."

Discussions are underway on the selection of test targets and testing methods, given the virus' latent period that is as long as two weeks. First, the government will conduct immediate tests on 100 people who were excluded from tests due to minor symptoms. A new testing method will be introduced to shorten the time needed to determine the results, which will inevitably increase in proportion to the rising number of test subjects. Currently, a two-stage gene sequencing test is being used to amplify all coronavirus strains and then determine whether or not it is a new type. But it will be replaced by a one-stage examination that targets and specifies the new strain of coronavirus.

[Soundbite] PROF. KIM WOO-JOO(KOREA UNIVERSITY GURO HOSPITAL) : "The two-stage test takes longer and is difficult for ordinary hospitals to conduct. But the one-stage test can be easily used by diagnosis and test labs at ordinary hospitals."

The government says it plans to introduce the new method as early as next Wednesday, adding it will review whether to implement the new testing earlier if possible.