No new coronavirus infection reported for 4th straight day; cases unchanged at 28

SEOUL, Feb. 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Saturday reported no additional novel coronavirus case for the fourth day in a row, with the total number of cases tallied remaining unchanged at 28, according to public health authorities.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said a total of seven patients have been released from hospitals after fully recovering from the COVID-19 virus.

The number of people who have tested negative for the virus reached 6,853 as of early Saturday, with another 638 undergoing tests for possible infection, the KCDC said.

The KCDC said 21 patients currently being treated for the virus at hospitals are in stable condition.

The public health agency earlier said more patients will be discharged from hospitals soon after undergoing final screenings.

South Korea has been beefing up its efforts to stem the spread of the virus. Starting Wednesday, strict quarantine screening has been enforced against entrants from Hong Kong and Macao, in addition to mainland China.

Passengers from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao are now required to use separate arrival counters at international airports across the country and must write a special quarantine report, filling out health questionnaires to check whether they have a fever or respiratory problems. They must also download a mobile application to report their health status every day.

yonngong@yna.co.kr
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