People who relapse and test positive for COVID-19 a second time are not a danger to pass the virus on to others after they have made a full recovery and do not need to be isolated again, according to South Korean health authorities.

Jung Eun-kyeong, director general of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, made the announcement Monday at a daily briefing, The Korea Herald reported.

"There were three new virus cases among those who had come into contact with relapse patients. But we can’t rule out the possibility that they could have been exposed to the virus through a different route," Jung said.

The conclusion was made after examining 790 people who came into contact with 285 patients who tested positive a second time after initially recovering from COVID-19.

Samples were taken from about 100 patients who had relapsed. The virus was isolated to be cultured, and negative results were returned in all cases, according to the KCDC.

According to the Herald, as of Friday, South Korea had 447 patients who tested positive again after recovering. That figure represents 4.5% of the 9,904 patients who have been allowed to leave isolation after recovery.

South Korea's total death toll is 263.

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