Tag: virus

The Stars and Stripes has an article published now that discusses how a ROK Air Force servicemember has been hospitalized for MERS. Of further interest to those at Osan AB is that schools will remain open for now despite the MERS outbreak:

DODEA Pacific spokesman Charly Hoff said there are no plans to close military schools in South Korea.

“However, the health and well-being of our students and employees remain top priorities, and we are closely monitoring the situation in conjunction with military leaders and health experts,” he said. “Should an operational change become necessary, the principal at the local school will promptly notify students, parents and employees directly.”  [Stars & Stripes]

You can read the rest at the link, but of further interest is that the ROK Air Force servicemember said he caught MERS while being treated for a fracture at a hospital.  It seems that many of these infections are caused by people visiting the hospital where other MERS patients are.  Hopefully the Korean hospitals take extra precautions to stop the spread of the virus within hospitals.

For everyone stationed on Osan Airbase here is something to definitely be aware of:

An Air Force officer was isolated at a military hospital on Wednesday under suspicions he may be infected with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), military officials said.

If confirmed, it would be the first case of the infection of the deadly respiratory virus in the South Korean military.

The chief master sergeant at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, whose identity was withheld, tested positive for MERS, the officials said.

They said the military instantly isolated him and some 100 soldiers stationed at the same air base at a military hospital and their homes to prevent further infection on the base.

“We isolated a number of soldiers suspected to have contracted the disease to prevent its spread by minimizing others’ contacts with those we suspect are infected,” one of the officials said requesting not to be named. “The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will determine whether he has been infected or not on Thursday or later,” the official said.

The officer previously had been hospitalized for a fracture at a civilian facility in Gyeonggi Province that treated MERS patients, based on which the military conducted epidemiological research.

He, however, is not showing symptoms of the disease such as a fever or cough, the officials said.

South Korea has placed more than 1,300 people in quarantine with 30 testing positive for the respiratory virus since the first case of the disease was reported on May 21. On Tuesday, two of the 30 MERS patients died, sparking panic among some locals and forcing over 500 schools to close.  [Yonhap]

Hopefully base leadership is emphasizing taking appropriate precautions to prevent the spread of the disease on Osan.  Tight barracks space with shared facilities is a perfect place for a disease like this to spread. This whole spread of MERS has shown how minor the whole anthrax incident USFK recently had really was.

The outbreak of MERS in South Korea has now turned deadly:

South Korea on Tuesday reported the first two deaths from an outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) that has affected 25 people in two weeks.

A 58-year-old woman who had had contact with South Korea’s first patient died of acute respiratory failure on Monday, the Health Ministry said. A 71-year-old man who had been on respiratory support with a history of kidney ailments also died.

The ministry reported new confirmed cases on Tuesday, bringing the total to 25. South Korea now has the third highest number of cases after Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.  [Reuters]

You can read more at the link.

It is good to see that South Korea is taking the MERS virus seriously because in a densely populated country like South Korea the virus could easily spread:

The government said Sunday it will soon launch a task force of government officials and civilians to enhance a monitoring system for MERS and take all-out measures to prevent the spread of the viral disease.

“We will launch a joint task force of government officials and civilians for all-out efforts against the disease,” Health Minister Moon Hyung-pyo told reporters. “We are determined to shed light on the cause of the disease and the route of its spread.”

Moon’s remarks came as the number of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome cases rose to 15 in South Korea as of Sunday.

The ministry confirmed two more MERS cases earlier in the day, bringing to 15 the total number of people infected with the deadly disease.

The Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said one serviceman in the central city of Gyeryong recently contacted his mother, who has been infected with the MERS virus, noting military authorities have quarantined some 30 other soldiers who live in the same barracks.  [Yonhap]

You can read more at the link, but the virus is reported to have a 40% mortality rate.  Hopefully everyone in USFK is taking necessary precautions as well.

(3rd LD) S. Korea confirms two more cases of MERS http://t.co/xEfqOKRNFB

— Yonhap News Agency (@YonhapNews) May 28, 2015