How South Korea Managed to Contain Coronavirus

Deputy Health Minister Ali Akbar Haqdoust says South Korea made good use of the isolation policy to find every infected person, and quickly tested those around them, and isolated them. In this way it managed to contain the outbreak.

“Now, as you can see, the virus is spreading on a low level in South Korea, which means it is contained and just the virus exists in the country. As soon as it puts aside the isolation policy, the second wave will start,” he said in a live TV program.

However, he said, as the country is smaller in area, with good planning and using its experience, and enjoying its much better infrastructure, it contained the virus.

“All of this has helped South Korea to be a successful country,” he added.

Elsewhere in his remarks, he talked about the situation in Italy saying that due to its limitations, many ordinary or light people do not take the test in Italy. Due to the low number of testing kits and the fact that its policy is not to do comprehensive testing for everyone, the number of identified cases increased but more slowly than the United States.

“Why is it like this in Italy? The virus is new and we don’t know much about it. Italy is one of the oldest countries in Europe and even in the world. So, it can be more dangerous for its elderly population. The morbidity of Europeans and North Americans is often more, and they are older, so naturally they suffer more. [On the other hand], the weakness of their health care system must have affected them,” he added.

Haqdoust further hailed the Islamic Republic’s healthcare system underlining that the health system of Iran is one of the truly acceptable ones.

“This health system has been operating in the country for about four decades. In such a situation, it can really help us if we use it properly,” he concluded.