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The Chinese national tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival but vanished while awaiting treatment at a quarantine facility, according to South Korean authorities on Wednesday.
After landing at Incheon International Airport near Seoul late on Tuesday and testing positive, the person was moved to a nearby hotel to await admission to quarantine, but later vanished, a health official said.
The person, who was not recognised, has been added to a wanted list, according to Kim Joo-young, the official. If found guilty of breaking the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, the defendant might face up to a year in jail or a fine of 10 million won ($7,840), the prosecutor said.
In addition, they would be deported and prohibited from entering the nation for a specific amount of time, Kim said at a briefing for the media.
In response to worries over a wave of infections following Beijing’s decision to relax strict zero-COVID policies, South Korea on Tuesday announced that Chinese visitors would be required to undergo mandatory coronavirus tests. South Korea’s announcement added to the growing list of nations imposing restrictions.
Beginning this week, South Korea requires Chinese visitors to submit to a PCR test upon arrival. A negative PCR test result obtained no more than 48 hours prior to departure or a negative fast antigen test result obtained no more than 24 hours prior to departure may be submitted by arrivals starting on January 5.
Since January 2, a total of 2,189 people have come from China.
According to the 590 test results to yet, 136 persons, or 22.7%, had COVID-19, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
According to KDCA data, 26% of the 281 individuals tested positive just on Tuesday.
Questions regarding South Korea’s procedures to manage sick incoming travellers were raised in the media by the case of the missing Chinese person.
The health official, Kim, called it a “disgrace” and expressed remorse that officials had not prevented the situation.
In the future, he promised, “we’ll send out additional staff, including police, to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
