1
(Unofficial translation)
Acting Prime Minister’s Announcement on MERS Countermeasures (June 7, 2015)
Ladies and gentlemen, I’m acting Prime Minister Choi Kyung-hwan. Immediately upon returning to Korea yesterday, I called for an emergency ministerial meeting to discuss the MERS situation. Today, I would like to announce the results of that meeting and explain the MERS countermeasures the government will take.
The government has reconfirmed that MERS infections have been confined to healthcare facilities and that the virus has not spread into communities; however, with the increase in the number of patients and quarantined individuals, we have decided to take stronger countermeasures to address the concerns and anxiety felt by the public.
Until mid-June, which will be the critical turning point in our fight against MERS, the government will devote all its efforts to strengthening our response system with the full participation of local governments, the private sector, the military, and schools. The budget necessary for this fight will be drawn from disaster management funds and emergency reserve funds.
Here, we will release the list of hospitals with confirmed MERS cases. MERS has been spreading across these hospitals, which has forced us to impose strict control over these institutions.
At the private-public sector emergency meeting held on June 3, President Park Geun- hye instructed that the list of hospitals with known MERS patients be made open to the public.
To that end, we have put in place a reporting system in anticipation of an increase in the number of MERS reports and secured additional quarantined beds in preparation for the disclosure of this list.
2
Thus far, 24 hospitals have either had confirmed MERS cases or were visited by MERS patients. Six hospitals have had confirmed cases of MERS, including Pyeongtaek St.
Mary’s Hospital and Samsung Medical Center. The other 18 hospitals were visited by MERS patients.
We are releasing the names of hospitals visited by MERS patients to show that the government is accurately keeping track of the movement of the patients, and to disclose the information transparently to the public.
Please refer to the information handed out to you for the full list of hospitals. We will continue to disclose the names of hospitals with confirmed MERS cases so that we can proactively identify infected individuals and prevent the spread of MERS.
Currently, identified patients are being safely treated inside negative pressure isolation rooms, with zero possibility they will pose a risk to members of the public.
Furthermore, to improve upon our earlier, insufficient quarantine measures and to better monitor individuals under house quarantine, we are planning to establish a more accountable monitoring system that assigns one official from a local government or a public health center to every quarantined individual. Also, we will work with the relevant authorities to track the locations of quarantined individuals through their cellphones. I ask for the public’s understanding in implementing this measure, as it is necessary for the safety of our neighbors and family members.
We will disclose all MERS-related information to the fullest extent we can, with the Ministry of Health and Welfare serving as the primary communication channel. We will strengthen coordination with local governments and education offices, and increase the participation of health experts before announcing medically significant information.
3
Along with these measures, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant ministries will prepare for a joint MERS investigation with the World Health Organization (beginning June 8), to strengthen cooperation with the international community.
The current MERS outbreak in Korea has only occurred within medical facilities and has not spread into our communities. Therefore, we can absolutely control the spread of this disease. I ask the public not to be alarmed by false information.
Please do not panic or let this situation dampen economic activity. The government will provide its support for domestic and international events to go on as scheduled, and will take all preemptive measures necessary to minimize the negative impact this may have on the Korean economy.
I ask members of the public to observe personal hygiene and work with us as we fight this battle.
The MERS virus does not spread through the air. Experts stress that the spread of this disease can be controlled, provided individuals follow personal hygiene guidelines and the proper quarantine measures are enforced to an extent similar to that for influenza patients. I ask for your cooperation, so that unnecessary fears and concerns do not give way to panic.
I believe that if the political community and local governments place their trust on us and work calmly with us in our fight against MERS, we can successfully overcome this situation.
This concludes my explanation of the government’s measures against MERS. The Health and Welfare Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Security will answer your questions.
4
HOSPITALS WITH KNOWN MERS EXPOSURE (24 INSTITUTIONS, 5 CITIES/PROVINCES) CITY DISTRICT HOSPITAL EXPOSURE
PERIOD
NO OF PATIENTS Seoul Kangnam-gu Samsung Medical
Center (ER)
May 17, May 20, May 27-May 31
17
Songpa-gu Asan Medical Center (ER)
May 26 (visit)
Yeongdeungpo- gu
Yeouido St. Mary’s Hospital (ER)
May 27 (visit)
Kangdong-gu 365 Yeol Lin Hospital (Outpatient)
May 17 1
Seongdong-gu St. Mary’s Family Medicine Clinic Center (Outpatient)
June 2, June 4 (visit)
Jung-gu Hanaro Medical
Foundation (Outpatient)
June 2 (visit)
Jung-gu Yoon Chang-ok Internal Medicine Clinic
June 4 (visit)
Gyeonggi Province
Pyeongtaek Pyeongtaek St. Mary‘s Hospital
May 15-May 29 37
Pyeongtaek Pyeongtaek
Goodmorning Hospital
May 22-June 1 (visit)
Pyeongtaek PyeongtaekPurun Hospital
May 23 (visit)
Pyeongtaek Pyeongtaek 365 Yonhap Medical Center
May 24, May 31 (visit)
Pyeongtaek Pyeongtaek Bagae Hospital
May 31 (visit)
5
Pyeongtaek Yonse Herb Family Medicine Clinic Center
May 29 (visit)
Hwaseong Hallym University Medical Center
May 25-June 1 (visit)
Suwon The Catholic University of Korea St. Vincent‘s Hospital (ER)
May 27 (visit)
Bucheon (Goean-dong)
Medihols Hospital (Outpatient)
June 1, June 3 (visit)
Bucheon The Catholic University of Korea St. Mary’s Hospital
June 3, June 5 (visit)
Osan Osan Hankook Hospital
(Outpatient)
May 22, May 25 (visit)
Chungnam Province
Cheonan Dankook University Hospital
June 1-June 2 (visit)
Boryeong 365 Yonhap Medical Center (Outpatient)
May 26 (visit)
Asan Asan Seoul Clinic
(Outpatient)
May 12, May 14, May 15
1
Daejeon Seo-gu
Dae Cheong Hospital
May 22-30 3
Seo-gu KonYang University Hospital (ER)
May 28-30 5
Jeonbuk Sunchang Sunchang Choi Sun- yong Internal Medicine Clinic (Outpatient)
June 4 (visit)
/END/
