Current perspective of COVID-19 spread across South Korea: exploratory data analysis and containment of the pandemic

Abstract

The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is regarded as a highly contagious disease that has challenged the healthcare systems worldwide with confirmed cases approaching 12 million and more than 50,000 deaths. Considering the worldwide cases of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), it remains a pandemic and the vaccines and therapeutic agents have yet to be developed to stop the spread of this outbreak. Due to the unavailability of specific treatment for the COVID-19, it can be viewed that the risk of cluster infection will continue to be present within the intermittent and small-scale outbreaks. Though the COVID-19 has been identified as a communicable disease, the preventive measures and response policies in South Korea are effectively serving the purpose and gained the confidence to overcome the COVID-19 crisis. This paper includes the exploratory data analysis of COVID-19 cases in South Korea till July 8, 2020. South Korea has reported the lowest death rate with the majority of the deaths, associated with persons with underlying health conditions or elderly infected individuals. Currently the infected patients (total 989) remaining in South Korea are mild cases owing to its robust health care system and quarantine inspection procedures followed by the Ministry of Health and Welfare of South Korea to flatten the COVID-19 curve. Although the COVID-19 countermeasures taken by the South Korean government may not be conclusive or universal for all, but its exemplary approach to tackle COVID-19 can aid countries across the globe to strengthen their response system for the future outbreak of such an infectious disease.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus; Pandemic; Quarantine inspection procedures (QIPs); South korea.

Fig. 1

Trend of COVID-19 in South Korea over time as of July 8, 2020. (Source: MOHW, South Korea and John Hopkins GitHub repository, USA)

Fig. 2

a Gender-wise cases and b age-wise distribution of COVID-19 in South Korea as of May 5, 2020. (Source: MOHW, South Korea)

Fig. 3

Comparison of confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths in South Korea versus other countries. (Source: MOHW, South Korea, As of July 8, 2020, GMT 05:00)

Fig. 4

Province wise spread of COVID-19 in South Korea. (Source: MOHW, South Korea, As of July 8, 2020 (05:00 GMT))

Fig. 5

Flowchart of quarantine inspection procedures for incoming passengers from abroad (from 00:00, April 1)—Symptomatic. (Source: MOHW, South Korea)

Fig. 6

Flowchart of quarantine inspection procedures for incoming passengers from abroad (from 00:00, April 1)—Asymptomatic. (Source: MOHW, South Korea)