About Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)

As widely known, infection with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus is spreading in Korea (*1). According to the report of joint investigation by WHO and Korean government, the cause of infection spread could have been the delay of initial response, excessive concentration of patients at medical institutions as well as infected patients’ behavior by visiting one medical institution after another. As of now, most patients got infected within medical institutions, thus there supposed to be low possibility of infection among tourists. However, when you visit countries where MERS is developing (*2), please take prevention measures below as you do with other infection diseases.

1. Build up body resistance by taking adequate rest and nourishment.
2. Maintain hygiene with arms and fingers
3. Keep out of the crowd as much as possible and encourage use of a mask
4. Avoid contacting patients with symptom of coughs or sneezes

Besides, if you have symptom of fever or coughs when you return to Japan, please have consultation in quarantine office at the airport or the port. One of the causes of infection spread in Korea is attributed to inadequate restriction on movement of initial patients and the contacts. In case you experience symptom of fever or coughs within 14days after the return to Japan, please contact a nearby public healthcare center and receive instruction.
Relevant information will be updated in “Kouiki Jyouhou (Wide-area information)” at Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Overseas Safety HP (*3). Please check latest information there.

*1: Message from Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare
*2: Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare Quarantine office HP (Please check latest information about MERS-prevalence countries here)
*3: Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Overseas Safety HP