Risk for China has risen ‘significantly’
Print Edition
A CHINESE health official said yesterday that the risk of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome contracted abroad had risen “significantly” in China.
Mao Qun’an, spokesman for the National Health and Family Planning Commission, said at a press conference that the estimate is based on China’s close exchanges with South Korea and the Middle East, and the commission has called for high alert and scientific prevention of the disease.
The authority’s current emphasis is on preventing more cases from entering the country, Mao said, adding that efforts will also be made to train medical workers in some key regions, such as in port cities, to be better prepared.
Research and vaccine development for the MERS virus are also under way in China, he said.
The official called on the public to pay greater attention to their own health and cooperate with authorities in carrying out necessary health measures.
Practicing strict medical observation of people with close contact with patients has been proved to help control the spread of the disease, and being uncooperative may cause problems to both one’s own health and that of the public, Mao said.
Anyone who has traveled to South Korea or the Middle East must consult a doctor and explain their travel experiences if they have any symptoms of the virus, he said.
He pledged the timely release of information by the commission or local authorities regarding the disease in China.
However, he also reminded the media and the public not to mistake suspected cases for confirmed ones.
Mao said the first confirmed MERS patient in China, a man from South Korea, tested positive for the virus in Guangdong Province on May 29 and is currently recovering and in a stable condition.
In response to a question on whether the mainland will issue a travel warning for tourists, Mao said the decision should be left to the tourism authority, but added that health authorities are working closely with other governmental agencies to issue precautions.
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