All 10 Cases This Year from Saudi Arabia… “Adhere to Handwashing and Mask Wearing, Avoid Contact with Camels”
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Kwon Ji-hyun = On the 21st, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) advised those visiting Saudi Arabia from July 4 to 9 for the Islamic pilgrimage to be cautious of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and meningococcal infections.
Every year, millions from about 180 countries participate in the pilgrimage. Last year, more than 1.8 million travelers attended, and another massive crowd is expected this year.
The KDCA stated, “The primary cause of MERS transmission is contact with camels or confirmed patients, so special care should be taken when in contact with camels locally, drinking raw camel milk, or consuming undercooked camel meat. It’s also advised to avoid visiting medical institutions except for treatment purposes.”
They also urged compliance with basic preventive measures such as handwashing and wearing masks, and reporting to the KDCA call center (1339) if fever or respiratory symptoms develop within 14 days after returning home.
According to the KDCA, MERS continues to emerge in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia. Since 2019, MERS cases have been reported in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, and Qatar, with most cases occurring in Saudi Arabia.
The number of cases in these four countries decreased from 222 in 2019 to 5 in 2023 but increased to 8 last year, and as of May 13 this year, there have been 10 confirmed cases. All 10 cases occurred in Saudi Arabia, with 2 reported deaths.
No MERS cases have been reported in South Korea since one case in 2018.
The government plans to cooperate with the Korean Muslim Federation to guide pilgrims on MERS prevention rules and distribute multilingual guidelines about precautions and actions if symptoms appear before departure.
Entry screenings will also be strengthened. Those who have stayed in or transited through areas under special MERS monitoring must fill out a Q-CODE (Pre-Entry Quarantine Information System) or questionnaire to notify authorities of their condition. Those with fever or respiratory symptoms upon arrival will be rapidly examined.
Additionally, the KDCA recommended receiving a meningococcal vaccine at least 10 days before departure, as 17 cases related to the pilgrimage were reported in Saudi Arabia as of March this year.
fat@yna.co.kr