S. Korea still cautious expanding entry restrictions beyond China

SEOUL, Feb. 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Wednesday remained cautious about expanding entry restrictions to people arriving from countries other than China, although it has confirmed more coronavirus infections in people who had made overseas trips.

The public health authorities said that it will consider the move based on various factors, including more detailed test results from the cases believed to have been infected overseas.

Starting Tuesday, South Korea has been implementing entry restrictions on those arriving from China as the country struggles to fight the potentially fatal disease amid concerns over its further spread.

Of the 18 confirmed cases in the country, three patients tested positive for the virus after entering South Korea, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

The 18th and latest case involves a 38-year-old man who came back home following a trip to Singapore, where he may have been in contact with an infected person.

The 12th case is of a 48-year-old Chinese man who worked as a tour guide in Japan and could have been infected by a Japanese associate, while the 16th case concerns a 42-year-old South Korean woman who had toured Thailand, the KCDC said.
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