Tackling the Coronavirus is Not Costless: Kyle Ferrier

As of March 6, there are over 6,500 reported coronavirus cases in South Korea. 

 

It is currently the country with the second-largest number of coronavirus patients.

 

The large number, however, may be less a reflection of South Korea’s exposure to the disease and more of the country’s proactive effort to screen and test people for the viral infection. The country has tested over 140,000 people - setting up stations throughout the country and employing all public resources, including its universal health care system and the military, to establish the infrastructure needed to treat patients. 

 

The thoroughness of the country’s approach to the coronavirus is evident in its fatality rate standing at 0.57% - this is far lower than the 3.4% figure cited by the World Health Organization and it reflects either South Korea’s ability to detect patients more quickly and more thoroughly or its ability to treat patients more effectively.  

 

Nonetheless, the disease has been a major strain on South Korea socially, economically, and politically. KEI Fellow and Director of Academic Affairs Kyle Ferrier walks us through how the coronavrius is affecting the country.

 

You can find Kyle Ferrier’s recent pieces for the Diplomat Magazine in the following links: 

https://thediplomat.com/2020/02/coronavirus-concerns-intensify-in-south-korea/

https://thediplomat.com/2020/02/coronavirus-now-poised-for-outsized-impact-in-south-korea/

 

If you have not checked out our interview from last week with Dr. John Grundy on how North Korea might be addressing the coronavirus outbreak, we highly recommend you take a listen: http://keia.org/podcast/can-north-korea-take-coronavrius-not-alone-john-grundy