S. Korea to test all people with symptoms of novel coronavirus

SEOUL, Feb. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Monday that it will start testing everyone that shows symptoms of novel coronavirus, regardless of whether they have visited China recently, as the country braces for further spread of the fatal virus.

According to the health ministry, the new rules will go into effect as of Tuesday with doctors at the country's 532 clinics authorized to conduct detailed tests on people complaining of illness that may be linked to the new virus.

So far, only those with pneumonia-like conditions who had visited the Chinese city of Wuhan and surrounding Hubei Province have been tested.

As of Sunday, the state health agency said it was testing 87 people in quarantine.

Common signs of infection include fever, coughing, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, acute respiratory syndrome and even lead to death.

The ministry added that of the second batch of 333 people airlifted from Wuhan on Saturday, none have tested positive for the illness.

yonngong@yna.co.kr
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