Covid-19: All South Korean citizens just repatriated from Wuhan have tested negative for coronavirus

Hong Kong extends school suspension until at least March 16

All 147 South Koreans and their Chinese family members from Wuhan, who arrived at Gimpo International Airport in Seoul yesterday, have tested negative for the novel coronavirus, the South Korean Health Ministry announced Thursday.

Those repatriated were quarantined at the Korea Defense Language Institute, a military school facility located in a rural area in Icheon, Gyeonggi province.

There were about 2,000 South Korean citizens residing in Wuhan, according to the South Korean Foreign Ministry. So far 848 have been repatriated via three chartered flights.

Hong Kong has extended the suspension of school classes until at least March 16 due to the novel coronavirus, Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung said at a news conference on Thursday.

Schools were previously suspended until March 2, but that start date has been delayed for an additional two weeks due to the virus outbreak.

Yeung said there’s “no urgency” for students staying in mainland China or other places to return to the city, and the government is “considering different options for students from mainland China.”

Students will still be able to complete their work through e-learning platforms, despite the suspension.

The semi-autonomous Chinese city has reported at least 50 cases of the coronavirus, and one death.


The Covid-19 death toll in mainland China continues to climb, with 1,113 deaths and 44,653 infections reported on Wednesday. 

Most deaths are in Hubei province and its capital city of Wuhan, where the virus originated. At least 25 countries have confirmed cases and several nations have evacuated their citizens from Hubei.

(CNN, Aljazeera)