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Experts Fault South Korean Response to MERS Outbreak Experts Fault South Korean Response to MERS Outbreak
(about 5 hours later)
SEOUL, South Korea — The South Korean government’s failure to share information quickly with the public and establish an efficient disease-control system contributed to worsening the country’s outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome, a joint panel of experts from the World Health Organization and South Korea said Saturday.SEOUL, South Korea — The South Korean government’s failure to share information quickly with the public and establish an efficient disease-control system contributed to worsening the country’s outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome, a joint panel of experts from the World Health Organization and South Korea said Saturday.
The experts have spent the past week visiting hospitals and meeting with local health authorities in an attempt to assess the outbreak, which has killed 14 people, and make recommendations.The experts have spent the past week visiting hospitals and meeting with local health authorities in an attempt to assess the outbreak, which has killed 14 people, and make recommendations.
“One of the things South Korea failed to do was a transparent and rapid distribution of information, which is the most important thing to do,” Lee Jong-koo, head of the South Korean side of the joint mission, said Saturday at a news conference. “One of the things South Korea failed to do was a transparent and rapid distribution of information, which is the most important thing to do,” Lee Jong-koo, the leader of the South Korean side of the joint mission, said Saturday at a news conference.
A “failure to establish proper governance” in controlling the outbreak during its early stages also contributed to “confusion” among the public, Mr. Lee said.A “failure to establish proper governance” in controlling the outbreak during its early stages also contributed to “confusion” among the public, Mr. Lee said.
The disease, called MERS, is known to have infected 138 people in South Korea since the first patient was diagnosed on May 20. The outbreak is the largest to date outside Saudi Arabia, where the virus first emerged in 2012, killing more than 400 people.The disease, called MERS, is known to have infected 138 people in South Korea since the first patient was diagnosed on May 20. The outbreak is the largest to date outside Saudi Arabia, where the virus first emerged in 2012, killing more than 400 people.
One of the tasks of the joint mission was to determine why so many people were infected in South Korea in a relatively short period of time. Keiji Fukuda, the panel’s chief World Health Organization official, said Saturday that the answer lay partly in South Korean doctors’ unfamiliarity with MERS; in the country’s “overcrowded” emergency rooms; in the practice of “doctor-shopping” for care at many different clinics; and in the fact that hospital rooms here tend to be bustling with visitors. Nearly all of the country’s confirmed MERS patients were infected while seeking care or while visiting patients at hospitals; hospital staff members were also infected. One of the tasks of the joint mission was to determine why so many people were infected in South Korea in a relatively short period of time. On Saturday, Keiji Fukuda, the panel’s chief World Health Organization official, pointed to several factors: South Korean doctors’ unfamiliarity with MERS; the country’s “overcrowded” emergency rooms; the practice of “doctor shopping” for care at many different clinics; and the fact that hospital rooms here tend to be bustling with visitors. Nearly all of the country’s confirmed MERS patients were infected while seeking care or while visiting patients at hospitals. Hospital staff members were also infected.
Mr. Fukuda said the panel had found no evidence to indicate that MERS was spreading in the broader community. “However, continued monitoring for this possibility is critical throughout the entire outbreak,” he said. “Now, because the outbreak has been large and is complex, more cases should be anticipated.” Mr. Fukuda said the panel had found no evidence to indicate that MERS was spreading in the broader population. “However, continued monitoring for this possibility is critical throughout the entire outbreak,” he said. “Now, because the outbreak has been large and is complex, more cases should be anticipated.”
Both Mr. Fukuda and Mr. Lee said that the rate of new infections was decreasing, with South Korea having improved its communications with the public and implemented stronger infection-control measures. Twelve new MERS cases were reported Saturday. Both Mr. Fukuda and Mr. Lee said that the rate of new infections was decreasing, as South Korean officials have improved their communications with the public and carried out stronger infection-control measures. Twelve new MERS cases were reported Saturday.
The government has come under heavy criticism for withholding key information early in the outbreak, such as the names and locations of hospitals where infections occurred. It eventually released the hospitals’ names, weeks after the first case was discovered. The outbreak has been a blow to President Park Geun-hye, whose approval rating has fallen in recent weeks. The government has come under heavy criticism for withholding critical information early in the outbreak, like the names and locations of hospitals where infections occurred. It eventually released the hospitals’ names, weeks after the first case was discovered. The outbreak has been a blow to President Park Geun-hye, whose approval rating has fallen in recent weeks.
Mr. Fukuda, who said transparency during an outbreak was “the basis of trust,” urged South Korea to continue to enforce a strong quarantine and monitoring system. He also recommended that the country invest more in its public health system, particularly by hiring more epidemiologists and expanding its laboratories’ capacities.Mr. Fukuda, who said transparency during an outbreak was “the basis of trust,” urged South Korea to continue to enforce a strong quarantine and monitoring system. He also recommended that the country invest more in its public health system, particularly by hiring more epidemiologists and expanding its laboratories’ capacities.