DFA: No travel ban in South Korea

[Monseratto]

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) assured that there are no travel restrictions issued on South Korea despite threats of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus.

"Wala po tayong ini-impose na travel advisory o travel restriction papunta po o galing ng South Korea," DFA spokesperson Charles Jose said in an interview with radio dzMM.

However, the DFA discouraged traveling to South Korea unless it is urgent.

Jose added that the World Health Organization has not yet issued an advisory regarding South Korea. The Philippines is strictly monitoring all airports for symptoms of the disease.

According to the Malacañang, around 55,000 overseas Filipino workers are in South Korea. The Palace urged all Filipinos in South Korea to take precautionary measures against the viral respiratory illness.

A total of five deaths have been recorded in South Korea due to the MERS virus.

DFA: No travel ban in South Korea | Pinoy Worldwide, Special Reports, Home | philstar.com

[Monseratto]

Hong Kong issues red alert against travel to South Korea amid MERS outbreak
Updated about 9 hours ago


Hong Kong has issued a red alert against non-essential travel to South Korea, where the death toll from Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) has risen to seven.

Eight new infections brought the total number of cases to 95 in the largest outbreak outside Saudi Arabia, following the diagnosis of the first patient on May 20.

The number of new South Korean cases was a sharp drop from 23 on Monday, but the number of schools closed grew to 2,208, including 20 universities.

The latest fatality on Tuesday was a 68-year-old woman who had an existing heart ailment and was infected by a MERS patient at a hospital in Seoul.

"At this stage, to issue a clear message is something the Hong Kong government thinks is necessary," Hong Kong's number two official Carrie Lam told reporters.

A red alert is defined as a "significant threat", according to the Hong Kong government, and means people should "adjust travel plans" and "avoid non-essential travel".

The Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong cancelled all tours to South Korea that were scheduled to set off between now and June 30, excluding cruises, with 10,000 to 12,000 travellers to be affected, the city's public broadcaster reported.

Nam Kyung-pil, governor of Gyeonggi province, which surrounds the South Korean capital, Seoul, said 32 of its large general hospitals have joined the campaign to fight the outbreak by offering to take in anyone who is showing MERS symptoms.

"We are fighting two wars; the war against the disease and the war against fear," Mr Nam said.

The South Korea government said it hoped to halt the outbreak of the virus by the end of the week.

South Korean president Park Geun-hye has called for an all-out national effort to eradicate the outbreak, which has been spreading since a 68-year-old businessman brought it home from a Middle East trip last month.

All subsequent infections in South Korea have occurred in healthcare facilities and been traced to the original patient.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) began work on a joint mission with South Korean doctors and officials to review the country's response and analyse the virus.

The WHO has not recommended any curb on travel, but thousands of tourists have cancelled plans to visit South Korea.

WHO specialist Peter Ben Embarek said South Korea's response had been aggressive and was getting better, adding it should still not be surprising if there were a few cases of infection coming outside of hospitals.

Macau, Singapore take precaution against MERS

The Chinese territory of Macau required masks for people entering local healthcare facilities as a precaution against MERS, and advised residents to avoid travel to South Korea unless absolutely necessary.

All subsequent infections in South Korea have occurred in health care facilities and been traced to the original patient.

Singapore said it would start screening body temperatures of passengers arriving from South Korea from late Tuesday (local time).

Taiwanese health authorities issued a travel alert to cover all of South Korea late on Tuesday, widening its caution on travel to the country.

Earlier, Taiwan had issued its travel alert only for Seoul, while putting the rest of the country on a less serious "watch" level.

Some 2,892 people who may have had contact with MERS patients have been put under quarantine, some in hospitals but most at home.

Authorities have said they are using mobile phones to track people who violate quarantine.

South Korea's new cases bring the total of MERS cases globally to 1,244, based on World Health Organization (WHO) data, with at least 446 related deaths.

Reuters/AFP

Hong Kong issues red alert against travel to South Korea amid MERS outbreak - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

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Hong Kong issues red alert against travel to South Korea amid MERS outbreak
Updated about 9 hours ago


Hong Kong has issued a red alert against non-essential travel to South Korea, where the death toll from Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) has risen to seven.

Eight new infections brought the total number of cases to 95 in the largest outbreak outside Saudi Arabia, following the diagnosis of the first patient on May 20.

The number of new South Korean cases was a sharp drop from 23 on Monday, but the number of schools closed grew to 2,208, including 20 universities.

The latest fatality on Tuesday was a 68-year-old woman who had an existing heart ailment and was infected by a MERS patient at a hospital in Seoul.

"At this stage, to issue a clear message is something the Hong Kong government thinks is necessary," Hong Kong's number two official Carrie Lam told reporters.

A red alert is defined as a "significant threat", according to the Hong Kong government, and means people should "adjust travel plans" and "avoid non-essential travel".

The Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong cancelled all tours to South Korea that were scheduled to set off between now and June 30, excluding cruises, with 10,000 to 12,000 travellers to be affected, the city's public broadcaster reported.

Nam Kyung-pil, governor of Gyeonggi province, which surrounds the South Korean capital, Seoul, said 32 of its large general hospitals have joined the campaign to fight the outbreak by offering to take in anyone who is showing MERS symptoms.

"We are fighting two wars; the war against the disease and the war against fear," Mr Nam said.

The South Korea government said it hoped to halt the outbreak of the virus by the end of the week.

South Korean president Park Geun-hye has called for an all-out national effort to eradicate the outbreak, which has been spreading since a 68-year-old businessman brought it home from a Middle East trip last month.

All subsequent infections in South Korea have occurred in healthcare facilities and been traced to the original patient.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) began work on a joint mission with South Korean doctors and officials to review the country's response and analyse the virus.

The WHO has not recommended any curb on travel, but thousands of tourists have cancelled plans to visit South Korea.

WHO specialist Peter Ben Embarek said South Korea's response had been aggressive and was getting better, adding it should still not be surprising if there were a few cases of infection coming outside of hospitals.

Macau, Singapore take precaution against MERS

The Chinese territory of Macau required masks for people entering local healthcare facilities as a precaution against MERS, and advised residents to avoid travel to South Korea unless absolutely necessary.

All subsequent infections in South Korea have occurred in health care facilities and been traced to the original patient.

Singapore said it would start screening body temperatures of passengers arriving from South Korea from late Tuesday (local time).

Taiwanese health authorities issued a travel alert to cover all of South Korea late on Tuesday, widening its caution on travel to the country.

Earlier, Taiwan had issued its travel alert only for Seoul, while putting the rest of the country on a less serious "watch" level.

Some 2,892 people who may have had contact with MERS patients have been put under quarantine, some in hospitals but most at home.

Authorities have said they are using mobile phones to track people who violate quarantine.

South Korea's new cases bring the total of MERS cases globally to 1,244, based on World Health Organization (WHO) data, with at least 446 related deaths.

Reuters/AFP

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-09/hong-kong-to-issue-red-travel-alert-to-south-korea-over-mers/6532722

[chua_riwap]

How about yung mga koreans papasok ng phl?

[Monseratto]

Woman, 22, rushed to Hong Kong hospital with suspected Mers after returning from Korea | South China Morning Post

Woman, 22, rushed to Hong Kong hospital with suspected Mers after returning from Korea
PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 10 June, 2015, 3:23pm
UPDATED : Wednesday, 10 June, 2015, 4:08pm
Elizabeth Cheung

A 22-year-old woman was rushed to hospital in Hong Kong this afternoon with a suspected case of Middle East respiratory syndrome.

The woman, who visited Seoul between May 23 and 27, is in isolation at the Princess Margaret Hospital where her condition is stable. Samples are being retrieved by healthcare workers and will be sent for a Mers test.

The woman had a running nose on Sunday and showed symptoms of fever yesterday.

She sought treatment at a clinic in Tsing Yi MTR station at around 10am, and was put in isolation there after telling the doctor she had been to South Korea.

The clinic notified the Centre for Health Protection and the patient was sent to hospital for further treatment.

“We placed her in a separate room and our doctor wore protective gear while treating her," said Dr Alexander Chiu, executive medical director of Quality Healthcare, which runs the Tsing Yi clinic.

"Meanwhile, we also contacted the Centre for Health Protection. An ambulance sent her to the Princess Margaret Hospital at around 12.40pm."

Health workers outside the clinic at Tsing Yi MTR station were seen in protective robes, gloves, caps and surgical masks, while some passengers covered their faces with masks on the platform as they exited trains.

The clinic has since been sterilised.

A spokesman for the MTR said the woman entered the clinic at ground level from the street, without passing through the main station hall or taking a train. The public areas of the station were later sterilised and staff asked to wear masks.


The MTR has also stepped up cleaning of public areas at the four border point stations of Lo Wu, Lok Ma Chau, Hung Hom and the airport.

The benchmark Hang Seng index dropped 228 points, or 0.85 per cent, to 26,761 as of 3.05pm, with heavy selling starting at about 2.30pm when the news of the suspected case broke.

Some 19 people so far isolated in hospital after travelling from South Korea and being intercepted with symptoms at the airport have tested negative for Mers.

The Hong Kong government on Tuesday ratcheted up its preventive measures against the outbreak by issuing the first-ever formal travel warning against South Korea.

Along with the "red" travel alert, the city will treat all arrivals from the country who display flu-like symptoms as suspected cases.

As such, the number of suspected cases is expected to rise because all such travellers will be taken to hospital for isolation and tested for Mers.

All 600 tours to South Korea organised for this month by local travel agencies will be cancelled following the issue of the red travel alert.

Two new deaths and 13 new cases of Mers were confirmed in South Korea yesterday, bringing the total number of deaths to nine and the number of infections to 108 in the outbreak, its health ministry said.

The first infected patient was diagnosed on May 20 after a trip to Saudi Arabia.

The 68-year-old man spread the germs, visiting four medical facilities and infecting other patients and health care workers.

Since then, nearly 3,500 people who were exposed to patients have been placed under quarantine of varying degrees.

The two latest fatalities were a 75-year-old woman and a 62-year-old man, victims of the largest outbreak of the virus outside Saudi Arabia.

All the infections, however, have been limited to hospitals, and health authorities in South Korea stressed that the outbreak had not spread to communities outside hospital settings.

The nine dead had pre-existing health conditions, the ministry said, adding four patients so far have recovered and were released from hospital.

As the number of cases and deaths has risen and public alarm escalated, nearly 2,500 schools – mostly in Seoul and surrounding Gyeonggi province – were closed yesterday, up 300 from the previous day.

Local businesses including shopping malls, movie theatres and theme parks reported a sharp drop in sales as people shunned crowded public venues.

Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse

[chua_riwap]

Aba, kumakalat na. Dapat maghigpit din pinas sa mga incoming korean visitors or yung mga ofws galing korea.

[Monseratto]

No travel restrictions pa rin.

DOH: Philippines remains free of MERS-CoV
By Rosette Adel (philstar.com) | Updated June 10, 2015 - 1:06pm

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) declared that the Philippines remains safe from the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

"To date, the Philippines is still safe, still MERS-CoV-free," DOH Epidemiology Bureau officer-in-charge Vito Roque said in a state news report on Tuesday.

The health agency made the announcement despite confirmation that two South Korean doctors traveled to the Philippines after treating a patient with MERS-CoV in Seoul.

Reports said the foreigners resisted the quarantine protocol implemented in South Korea, currently hit by MERS-CoV outbreak. However, they submitted themselves for testing where they were determined to be negative from the deadly virus.

Roque said their counterparts in South Korea guaranteed that the couple is not manifesting any signs and symptoms of MERS-CoV.

"Pilit inuulit ng aming counterparts na asymptomatic sila. Wala silang signs and symptoms ng MERS-CoV," Roque said.

The DOH official advised arriving passengers in the Philippines to fill up the Health Declaration Checklist at the country's airports honestly and completely to assure the public's safety.

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminals heightened its health alert to avoid the spread of MERS-Cov in the country.

South Korea, hit by the deadly virus currently has a total of 95 MERS-CoV cases with about 7 deaths reported since May.

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No travel restrictions pa rin.

DOH: Philippines remains free of MERS-CoV
By Rosette Adel (philstar.com) | Updated June 10, 2015 - 1:06pm

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) declared that the Philippines remains safe from the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

"To date, the Philippines is still safe, still MERS-CoV-free," DOH Epidemiology Bureau officer-in-charge Vito Roque said in a state news report on Tuesday.

The health agency made the announcement despite confirmation that two South Korean doctors traveled to the Philippines after treating a patient with MERS-CoV in Seoul.

Reports said the foreigners resisted the quarantine protocol implemented in South Korea, currently hit by MERS-CoV outbreak. However, they submitted themselves for testing where they were determined to be negative from the deadly virus.

Roque said their counterparts in South Korea guaranteed that the couple is not manifesting any signs and symptoms of MERS-CoV.

"Pilit inuulit ng aming counterparts na asymptomatic sila. Wala silang signs and symptoms ng MERS-CoV," Roque said.

The DOH official advised arriving passengers in the Philippines to fill up the Health Declaration Checklist at the country's airports honestly and completely to assure the public's safety.

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminals heightened its health alert to avoid the spread of MERS-Cov in the country.

South Korea, hit by the deadly virus currently has a total of 95 MERS-CoV cases with about 7 deaths reported since May.

[chua_riwap]

Aba, kumakalat na. Dapat maghigpit din pinas sa mga incoming korean visitors or yung mga ofws galing korea.

[Monseratto]

Kailan ang PAL?

SIA to waive cancellation fees for Seoul flights due to Mers outbreak; Scoot to allow rebook or reroute
PUBLISHED ON JUN 10, 2015 7:23 PM 241 4 0 0

BY SHEA DRISCOLL


SINGAPORE - Singapore Airlines (SIA) will waive cancellation fees and admin fees for refunds, rebookings and reroutings for customers holding tickets on the airline's flights to or from Seoul's Incheon International Airport.

This is due to the Middle East respiratory syndrome (Mers) outbreak in South Korea, SIA said in a notice on its website.

The waiver is valid for tickets issued on or before June 9, for travel until June 22 inclusive.

SIA's long-haul budget arm Scoot will also allow passengers who made bookings to Incheon on or before June 3, for travel until June 15 inclusive, to rebook their travel dates or reroute to another destination free of charge, subject to payment of fare difference.

The outbreak has claimed nine lives in South Korea, as two deaths and 13 new cases were confirmed on Wednesday (June 10).

There is no vaccine or cure for the virus, which has a fatality rate of around 35 per cent, according to the World Health Organisation.

- See more at: SIA to waive cancellation fees for Seoul flights due to Mers outbreak; Scoot to allow rebook or reroute - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

[111prez]

Anyone travelled to South Korea lately?

Kumusta naman?