Police search for Covid-positive Chinese national who fled quarantine facility

Health officials direct travelers from China registering for Covid-19 testing at Incheon International Airport on Tuesday. [YONHAP]

Police are searching for a Chinese citizen who fled from a quarantine facility in Incheon after testing positive for Covid-19.

The 41-year-old refused to quarantine and ran away from a hotel on Yeongjong Island in Incheon at around 10:07 p.m. on Tuesday, according to Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency.

The Chinese arrival tested positive for Covid-19 upon arrival at Incheon International Airport.

The missing arrival was last seen at a discount mart in Jung District on Yeongjong Island, according to CCTV footage.

The Korean government requires all arrivals from China to get tested for Covid-19 upon arrival due to the surging number of infections in the country.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said Wednesday that 31 percent of new infections that came from abroad last week were brought in from China.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]