DFA exec reports first Filipino COVID-19 case in South Korea

MANILA, Philippines — A Filipino in South Korea has tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), a foreign affairs official said Friday.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Concerns Brigido Dulay said the case was confirmed by the South Korean Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

“This is the first confirmed case of COVID-19 infection involving a Filipino in South Korea,” Dulay said in a tweet.

The South Korean Center for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that a Filipino has tested positive for Covid-19. This is the first confirmed case of Covid-19 infection involving a Filipino in South Korea.

— Dodo Dulay (@dododulay) March 20, 2020

As of March 20, there are over 8,600 COVID-19 cases in South Korea—of whom 2,233 have been discharged, 6,325 are isolated, and 94 have passed away.

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus that first emerged in China’s city of Wuhan in Hubei province in late 2019.

The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses named the novel coronavirus as SARS-CoV-2.

The virus causes mild symptoms such as fever and cough for most people but can cause serious illness such as pneumonia for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems.

Coronavirus is a family of viruses, whose surfaces have a crown-like appearance. The viruses are named for the spikes on their surfaces.