Let’s end MERS this week

Eight more MERS patients were confirmed on Tuesday, down from 23 new confirmed cases the previous day. New patients from Samsung Medical Center that was the source of a second wave of MERS also decreased to three from 17 the previous day. The spread of tertiary infections appears to have been subdued, but we should never let our guard down. New patients occurred among people who had visited other big hospitals that had reported no MERS patients, and the possibility can’t be ruled out that fourth infection patients can occur from hospitals where tertiary infection patients are staying. A pregnant woman tested positive at the first test, and a foreigner was reported to have been infected. The next few days will be a golden time to see whether MERS will spread or subdue.

President Park Geun-hye at a Cabinet Council on Tuesday called for transparent information opening, cooperation from the public and collaboration between the central and local governments. She also urged to devise plans to boost the shrinking economic activity. Though what she said is nothing new, the very fact that the president is taking the lead in MERS measures is a comfort to the public. Acting Prime Minister Choi Kyeong-hwan also said there is a need to response with a “severe” level (maximum level) to prevent in advance infections on the regional society, thereby declaring a shift to a full-out response system. A government-wide daily MERS examination meeting will also be held. Korea could have prevented being disgraced as the country with the world’s second largest number of MERS infections if the government responses had come out earlier.

In today’s globalized world, infectious disease outbreak in one country is of interest to all countries. Global media are rushing to report Korea’s war against MERS. Poor hospital systems and emergency rooms where patient caring is trusted to family rather than nurses, and President Park’s leadership that is again put to test after the sinking of Sewol ferry, are being reported live throughout the world. With this week seen as the final crisis stage, a preemptive and drastic response against MERS will be crucial, instead of the catching up behavior seen until now. The government’s role is to plant faith in the public that it is clearly controlling MERS. What is crucial is to open transparently all information on MERS and ensure smooth collaboration with local governments and hospitals. More importantly, hospitals and doctors should have a strong sense of duty and make active support to respond to MERS.

Joint examination between Korea and the World Health Organization started Tuesday joined by 16 domestic and foreign top MERS experts. They will make comprehensive research on the effects of MERS on Korea. The government should re-establish its resolves to end MERS within this week. The public’s health and national credit-worthiness depend on them.