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Less Mers Infections The danger is not over yet
Since the first Mers case in South Korea was reported in May, more and more infections and deaths have occurred. Now it is reported that the number of new Mers infections in the East Asian country is declining. The caution remains: Quarantine and hygiene measures continue.
Decline in new infections not uniform
In mid-May, a Mers outbreak had been reported in South Korea. Although it is said that there is no danger outside the hospitals of becoming infected with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers), the fear remains. According to a report from "Time Online", spokespersons from the Korean health authorities said last week that the epidemic is at a crossroads. Two scenarios are therefore conceivable: The virus will either be completely gone in about two weeks (the period of the incubation period) or there will be a third wave of spread. Although the number of new infections for about two weeks, but not evenly. So there was a few days ago, a new increase. On Sunday and Monday, no new infections were reported.
(Picture: jarun011 / fotolia.com) Still over 2,500 people in quarantine
To date, 181 people in the country have contracted Mers, of which 91 have recovered completely from the virus. A total of 32 deaths were to be lamented. According to the information, almost all of them had chronic pre-existing conditions. So far, the virus has only spread to hospitals in South Korea. Nevertheless, this is the largest Mers outbreak to date outside the Arabian Peninsula. Like many cold viruses and the Sars pathogen, Mers is one of the coronaviruses. An infection is usually associated with flu-like symptoms, such as fever, cough and shortness of breath. In severe cases, however, can develop pneumonia and it can lead to kidney failure. Especially for weakened and elderly people it can be dangerous. The government had introduced quarantine measures that affected more than 15,000 South Koreans since the outbreak. Last weekend, more than 2,500 people were still in quarantine - most of them at home.
Germany spared from such epidemics
Parliament has now adopted the first long-term measure, the so-called Mers Act. The aim is to better protect the country from the spread of infectious diseases in the future. In Germany, nothing is known about planned additional precautionary measures. Although a Mers patient recently passed away in Lower Saxony, a transmission of the virus to contact persons could be prevented in this case, according to the Lower Saxony Minister of Health Cornelia Rundt. The President of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Prof. Lothar Wieler, explained in an interview with the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" why Germany has been spared such epidemics in recent years: "It's a mix of many things. "He emphasized that there is an excellent health system, a keen awareness of infectious diseases in the population and doctors as well as good research in this country. "As a result, we usually recognize infectious diseases quickly and treat them well," says the expert.