정부, 메르스 진정세 주한 외교단에 직접 알린다

Published : Jul 16, 2015 - 15:55 Updated : Jul 16, 2015 - 15:55

중동호흡기증후군(메르스) 사태 진정세를 알리 기 위해 정부가 다음주 주한 외교관들을 상대로 설명회를 연다.

정부는 이달 20일 서울 외교부 청사에서 주한 대사관과 국제기구 관계자 등을 초청해 메르스 대응 관련 제2차 설명회를 연다고 외교부 관계자가 16일 밝혔다.

이기철 외교부 재외동포영사대사와 권덕철 중앙메르스관리대책본부 총괄반장 등 외교부·보건복지부 당국자들이 메르스 통제상황 등을 설명할 것으로 전해졌다.

주한 외교단 대상 설명회는 지난달 초 1차 설명회 이후 두 번째로, 메르스 확산 이 어느 정도 통제됐다는 판단에 따른 것으로 보인다.

한국 방문이 안전하다는 것을 적극 알려 여행객 유입을 독려하기 위한 목적도 있는 것으로 분석된다.

현재 메르스 신규 확진자는 11일째 발생하지 않고 있고, 사망자도 닷새째 나오 지 않는 등 진정 기미가 뚜렷해지는 상황이다.

메르스 확산에 대한 국제사회의 관심이 최고조에 이른 가운데 지난달 8일 열린 1차 설명회에서는 각국 외교관들의 우려가 쏟아진 바 있다. (연합)

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S. Korea mulls announcing end to MERS

South Korea is considering announcing an end to the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome outbreak in early August if no new cases are confirmed by then, a government official said Thursday.

As of early Thursday, South Korea has reported no additional MERS cases for 11 straight days, with no fatalities occurring since Friday. The number of people diagnosed with MERS in the country remained unchanged at 186, and the MERS death toll also stayed flat at 36.

Kwon Deok-cheol, head of the central MERS task force, told reporters in Sejong that while the government accepts recommendations made by the World Health Organization, it is in the process of outlining its own assessment of the situation to the U.N. agency.

"We plan to adhere to WHO's position, but at the same time, policymakers are contemplating a move to independently lower the MERS alert status from the current 'caution' to the lowest level of 'attention,'" the official said. "Such a move will be the same as announcing the end to the respiratory disease."

He did not give dates but hinted that the downgrading of the alert status may be carried out on or around Aug. 2. The date will mark the 28th day after the last confirmed MERS cases was diagnosed in the country on July 4.

The government's criteria for taking this step is slightly different from those set by the United Nations health organization that is expected to announce the end of MERS four weeks after the last infected person has tested negative for the illness-inducing coronavirus.

Under this system, South Korea can only be declared a MERS-free country after the middle of next month.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare said earlier in the day there are 258 people in isolation as suspected cases following possible exposure to the MERS virus, down 64 people from the day before.

Out of the nearly 16,700 people who have been subject to isolation since May 20 when the first MERS case was confirmed,

16,432 have been released after showing no symptoms for more than the known maximum incubation period of 14 days for the disease.

Out of those diagnosed with MERS, 133 have been discharged from hospitals following complete recoveries.

Of the remaining 17 receiving treatment in hospitals, four are in unstable condition, while 12 have already tested negative for the MERS virus, a sign they have overcome the disease, according to health authorities. They added that the government will pay for the medical bills of people suffering from the side effects of MERS.

MERS is a viral respiratory disease that is still fairly new to humans. The disease has claimed over 530 lives globally, posting a fatality rate of over 36 percent.

In South Korea, the fatality rate stands at 19.4 percent, with most of the people succumbing to the illness having had underlying medical conditions. The ministry said 91.7 percent of the people who died were being treated for cancer or had serious heart, lung or kidney conditions.

There currently is no vaccine or treatment for the disease that was first reported only in 2012 in Saudi Arabia. (Yonhap)