Seoul city to test int'l arrivals for virus at former Olympics stadium

SEOUL, April 2 (Yonhap) -- A sports complex in eastern Seoul where the country hosted the Summer Olympics will turn into a walkthrough screening center for overseas arrivals, the Seoul mayor said Thursday.

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon announced that the city government will use Seoul Sports Complex, a major sports complex that was used for the 1986 Asian Games and 1988 Summer Olympics, to carry out screening tests for people arriving on international flights.

"Starting tomorrow, (the city) will set up and run a massive screening center at Seoul Sports Complex for overseas entrants," Park told reporters in a press briefing. "The testing capacity is expected to reach 1,000 people daily on average."

The idea comes a day after the government imposed a mandatory 14-day self-isolation for everyone arriving on international flights as concerns over imported cases are heightening.

Park said that those with virus symptoms will be tested at screening centers at the airport, while those without symptoms will be tested at the sports complex or community health centers.

"This is to (help) people get screened upon their arrivals, once they return home, it's both inconvenient and risky for people to come out again for the tests," the mayor said.

The city government will also provide shuttle buses for people arriving from abroad, he added.

mlee@yna.co.kr
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