scholarly journals Estimate number of individuals infected with the 2019-novel coronavirus in South Korea due to the influx of international students from countries with virus risk: a simulation study

Author(s):  
Sukhyun Ryu ◽  
Sheikh Taslim Ali ◽  
Jun-sik Lim ◽  
Byung Chul Chun

AbstractBackgroundIn March 2020, overall, 37,000 international students from the country at risk of the 2019-novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection will arrive in Seoul, South Korea. Individuals from the country at risk of COVID-19 infection have been included in a home-quarantine program, but the efficacy of the program is uncertain.MethodsTo estimate the possible number of infected individuals within the large influx of international students, we used a deterministic compartmental model for epidemic and perform a simulation-based search of different rates of compliance with home-quarantine.ResultsUnder the home-quarantine program, the total number of the infected individuals would reach 24–53 from March 17–March 20, 50–86 from March 18– March 16, and 234– 343 from March 4– March 23 with the arrival of 0.1%, 0.2%, and 1% of pre-infectious individuals, in Seoul, South Korea, respectively. Our findings indicated when incoming international students showed strict compliance with quarantine, epidemics were less likely to occur in Seoul, South Korea.ConclusionTo mitigate possible epidemics, additional efforts to improve the compliance of home-quarantine are warranted along with other containment policies.

Author(s):  
Sukhyun Ryu ◽  
Sheikh Taslim Ali ◽  
Jun-Sik Lim ◽  
Byung Chul Chun

Background: In March 2020, overall, 37,000 international students from China, a country at risk of the 2019-novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection has arrived in Seoul, South Korea. Individuals from the country at risk of COVID-19 infection have been included in the Korean home-quarantine program, but the efficacy of the program is uncertain. Methods: To estimate the possible number of infected individuals within the large influx of international students from China, we used a deterministic compartmental model for epidemic and performed a simulation-based search of different rates of compliance with home-quarantine. Results: Under the home-quarantine program, the number of the infected individuals would reach 40–72 from 12 March–24 March with the arrival of 0.2% of pre-infectious individuals. Furthermore, the number of isolated individuals would peak at 40–64 from 13 March–27 March in Seoul, South Korea. Our findings indicated when incoming international students showed strict compliance with quarantine, epidemics by the international student from China were less likely to occur in Seoul, South Korea. Conclusions: To mitigate possible epidemics, additional efforts to improve the compliance of home-quarantine of the individuals from countries with the virus risk are warranted along with other containment policies.


Author(s):  
Gun Ja Jang ◽  
Ginam Jang ◽  
Sangjin Ko

As the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spreads worldwide, quarantine guidelines are being constantly updating to prevent the transmission of this virus. Regardless of which country international students live in, they might receive limited crucial quarantine guidelines from that country’s government. The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing the preventive practice of international students in South Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. Data were collected from international students in three universities from July 10 to July 31 in 2020. A total of 261 international students participated in the survey, using an online questionnaire. Data were analyzed by independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis. Preventive practice during the COVID-19 pandemic was affected by duration of stay in Korea (β = −0.21, p < 0.001), attitudes (β = 0.22, p = 0.001), and trust in Korea’s quarantine system (β = 0.33, p < 0.001). This study showed that attitudes and trust in the quarantine system could affect personal preventive practice during the outbreak of a highly contagious disease such as COVID-19.


Biology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 10
Author(s):  
Antoine Danchin ◽  
Tuen Wai Ng ◽  
Gabriel Turinici

Background: Starting late 2019, a novel coronavirus spread from the capital of the Hubei province in China to the rest of the country, then to most of the world. To anticipate future trends in the development of the pandemic, we explore here, based on public records of infected persons, how variation in the virus tropism could end up in different patterns, warranting a specific strategy to handle the epidemic. Methods: We use a compartmental model to describe the evolution of an individual through several possible states: susceptible, infected, alternative infection, detected, and removed. We fit the parameters of the model to the existing data, taking into account significant quarantine changes where necessary. Results: The model indicates that Wuhan quarantine measures were effective, but that alternative virus forms and a second propagation route are compatible with available data. For the Hong Kong, Singapore, and Shenzhen regions, the secondary route does not seem to be active. Conclusions: Hypotheses of an alternative infection tropism (the gut tropism) and a secondary propagation route are discussed using a model fitted by the available data. Corresponding prevention measures that take into account both routes should be implemented to the benefit of epidemic control.


Author(s):  
Kianna Denise C. Villapando ◽  
Maria Angelica D. Bare ◽  
Francee Mae. F. Castro ◽  
Angelo Luis S. Doctora ◽  
William Davin D. Perez ◽  
...  

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 820
Author(s):  
Ju-Yong Bae ◽  
Hee-Tae Roh

We aimed to investigate the effect of Taekwondo training on physical fitness, mood, sociality, and cognitive function among international students in South Korea. We randomly assigned 24 international students to a control group (CG, n = 12) and experimental group (EG, n = 12). The EG performed Taekwondo training for 16 weeks, while the CG did not train. Each participant underwent a physical fitness test and sociability questionnaire before and after the intervention. We also examined changes in mood state and cognitive function, using the Korean version of the Profile of Mood State-Brief (K-POMS-B), and the Stroop Color and Word test, respectively. Regarding the physical fitness variables, sit-and-reach records in the EG significantly increased after intervention (p < 0.05). In the sub-variable of K-POMS-B, Vigor-Activity scores significantly increased (p < 0.05) after intervention, while the Fatigue-Inertia scores significantly decreased in the EG (p < 0.05). Furthermore, in the EG, peer relationship scores, a sub-variable of sociability, significantly decreased after intervention (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that Taekwondo training can not only improve flexibility among physical fitness factors, but can also be effective in improving the mood state and sociality of international students.


Author(s):  
Ophelia Aubert ◽  
Richard Wagner ◽  
Rodrigo Gerardo ◽  
Gaia Tamaro ◽  
Augusto Zani ◽  
...  

AbstractThe novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted our way of living in an unprecedented manner. Medical professionals at all levels have been forced to adapt to the novel virus. The delivery of surgical services and the subsequent learning opportunities for surgical residents have especially been disrupted and the pediatric surgical community has not been exempted by this. This article highlights the challenges imposed by the pandemic and outlines the various learning modalities that can be implemented to ensure continued learning opportunities throughout the pandemic and beyond. Furthermore, it aims to show how the utilization and expansion of technologies maintain and further increase the communication, as well as the exchange of and access to knowledge among peers. Virtual education-, application-, and simulation-based learning and social media, as well as telemedicine and online conferences, will play a considerable role in the future of surgical specialties and surgical education.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosemary M. Caron ◽  
Amanda Rodrigues Amorim Adegboye

The novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, has challenged healthcare systems globally. The health inequities experienced by immigrants, refugees, and racial/ethnic minorities have been aggravated during the COVID-19 pandemic. The socioeconomic, political, and demographic profile of these vulnerable populations places them at increased risk of contracting COVID-19 and experiencing significant morbidity and mortality. Thus, the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic is disproportionally higher among these at-risk groups. The purpose of this perspective is to: (1) highlight the interactions among the social determinants of health (SDoH) and their bi-directional relationship with the COVID-19 pandemic which results in the current syndemic and; (2) offer recommendations that consider an integrated approach to mitigate COVID-19 risk for marginalized populations in general. For these at-risk populations, we discuss how individual, structural, sociocultural, and socioeconomic factors interact with each other to result in a disparate risk to contracting and transmitting COVID-19. Marginalized populations are the world's collective responsibility. We recommend implementing the Essential Public Health Services (EPHS) framework to promote those systems and policies that enable optimal health for all while removing systemic and structural barriers that have created health inequities. The pledge of “Health for All” is often well-accepted in theory, but the intricacy of its practical execution is not sufficiently recognized during this COVID-19 syndemic and beyond.


Author(s):  
Eunha Shim ◽  
Amna Tariq ◽  
Wongyeong Choi ◽  
Yiseul Lee ◽  
Gerardo Chowell

AbstractSince the first identified individual of 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection on Jan 20, 2020 in South Korea, the number of confirmed cases rapidly increased. As of Feb 26, 2020, 1,261 cases of COVID-19 including 12 deaths were confirmed in South Korea. Using the incidence data of COVID-19, we estimate the reproduction number at 1.5 (95% CI: 1.4-1.6), which indicates sustained transmission and support the implementation of social distancing measures to rapidly control the outbreak.


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