학술논문

Effective Control of COVID-19 in South Korea: Cross-Sectional Study of Epidemiological Data
Document Type
article
Source
Journal of Medical Internet Research, Vol 22, Iss 12, p e22103 (2020)
Subject
Computer applications to medicine. Medical informatics
R858-859.7
Public aspects of medicine
RA1-1270
Language
English
ISSN
1438-8871
Abstract
BackgroundSouth Korea is one of the few countries that has succeeded in flattening the curve of new COVID-19 cases and avoiding a second outbreak by implementing multiple strategies, ranging from an individual level to the population level. ObjectiveWe aim to discuss the unique strategies and epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 in South Korea and present a summary of policies implemented by the Korean government during the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsWe designed a cross-sectional study of epidemiological data published by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on October 1, 2020. We analyzed detailed epidemiological information of COVID-19 cases, including the number of confirmed cases and resulting deaths. ResultsAs of October 1, 2020, a total of 23,889 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 415 deaths were reported in South Korea. In this paper, we present data on the epidemiological characteristics and transmission of the disease and discuss how the South Korean government, health care providers, and society responded to the COVID-19 outbreak. ConclusionsUnderstanding the epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 in South Korea and the government’s successful efforts in managing the spread of the disease can provide important insights to other countries dealing with the ongoing pandemic.