MERS SCARE | PH Postpones Independence Day Celebration in South Korea
By: Imelda V. Abano, InterAksyon.com
June 12, 2015 9:22 AM
Tourists wear face masks to avoid contracting MERS at an airport in South Korea. (Photo: IVAbano,InterAksyon.com)
SEOUL — Fear continued to grip South Korea as health officials announced that 10 people had died after contracting the respiratory ailment Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), while the number of infected rose to 122 since the first case was discovered last month.
More than 3,400 people have also been placed under quarantine and a total of 2,622 schools have closed over fears of the deadly MERS coronavirus.
The situation led the Philippine embassy in South Korea to postpone its Independence Day celebration which was supposed to be held in Ansan City’s Olympic Gymnasium.
“We have postponed indefinitely the Filipino community’s celebration of our Independence Day in view of Ansan City government’s notification on counter-measures against MERS. Ansan is the venue of the celebration,” Philippine Ambassador Raul Hernandez told InterAksyon.com in an email interview.
The celebration of the 117th Philippine Independence Day is supposedly scheduled to coincide with the Migrant Workers’ Day or Bayanihan sa Korea 2015.
Hernandez said that there are about 52,000 Filipinos living and working in South Korea.
“The Philippine Embassy in Seoul continues to advise the Filipino community in South Korea on the preventive measures to take against MERS for their safety and continued health,” Hernandez added. “We are also in close contact with the Filipino community leaders to check whether any of our compatriots have fallen victim to the virus.”
Hernandez told InterAksyon.com that to date, there is no reported case of Filipinos being infected by the virus or who has been placed under quarantine.
“We have advised the Filipinos in South Korea that if one exhibits any of the MERS symptoms, he/she should immediately go to the nearest medical facility for voluntary testing. He/she is also advised to inform the embassy so we can extend necessary assistance to him,” Hernandez further said.
On the other hand, health experts from the World Health Organization and South Korea on Wednesday urged the government to re-open thousands of schools as the outbreak has so far been contained to hospitals through close contact with MERS-infected persons, and there is no evidence of transmission in the community or public places.
South Korea is coping with the largest outbreak of MERS outside of Saudi Arabia. Infectious diseases experts said that there is no vaccine or treatment yet available to combat MERS, advising hospitals or healthcare facilities to be vigilant and take upgraded level of precautionary measures and hygiene.
Since the outbreak of MERS in South Korea, more than 54,000 tourists have cancelled their trips to the country, while dozens of major events have been reportedly cancelled or postponed indefinitely, according to the Korean Tourism Board.