Skuld P&I: MERS virus situation in South Korea

by The Editorial Team

June 9, 2015

in Alerts

There are no shipping quarantine or other restrictions

As of 3 June 2015, 1179 laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) have been reported to WHO since 2012, including at least 442 deaths. Overall, 66% of cases reporting gender (n=1165) are male and the median age is 49 years (range 9 months-99 years; n=1172).

According to the World Health Organization, to date, 25 countries have reported cases. The majority of cases (>85%) have been reported from Saudi ArabiaKSA. Since May 2015 two new countries have been affected (China and Republic of Korea).

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Number of laboratory confirmed cases MERS-CoV cases reported by countries as of 03 June 2015 (please click on image for a larger view)

The Skuld P&I Club informs that currently there are no shipping quarantine or other restrictions as a result of the MERS situation. Club’s correspondents have also checked with concerned authorities who have confirmed that there has been no restrictions or special directions issued for the MERS situation at the moment. The Club advises operators calling at ports in affected areas to remind their crew to:

always practice good personal hygiene
avoid going to shore side areas where they may be exposed to increased risk, particularly areas where there may be live animals
report any sickness immediately, even if it appears to be minor
pay attention to advice from a company doctor or other attending health care worker
review company materials, guidelines and training for on board health care prior to calls in affected areas

WHO Recommends

Enhancing infection prevention and control awareness and implementation measures is critical to prevent the possible spread of MERS-CoV in healthcare facilities. It is not always possible to identify patients with MERS-CoV early and for this reason, all health care facilities should have standard infection prevention and control practices in place for infectious diseases in general.

If MERS-CoV is suspected, policies and procedure for rapid screening and assessment of potential MERS-CoV cases should be in place to ensure rapid care of the patient and to minimize the number of contacts among other patients, visitors and health workers.

Droplet precautions, including eye protection, should be added to the standard precautions when providing care to any patient with symptoms of acute respiratory infection.

WHO does not advise special screening procedures at points of entry, or travel or trade restrictions with regard to this event.

Further information may be found at the following sources:

Skuld P&I Club –renewed warning on MERS virus

NSA –Security Health Update on MERS virus

World Health Organization –MERS- CoV