세계보건기구 서태평양 지역사무처(WHO Western Pacific Regional Organization, WPRO)가 지난 28일(필리핀 마닐라 시각) 홈페이지를 통해 강화된 공중보건 조치로 한국의 메르스 상황이 통제되었음을 알리며, MERS-CoV의 신규 유입 경계 및 신종감염병 대응체계 구축을 강조하는 기사를 게재하였다.

WPRO는 우리나라를 비롯한 호주, 중국, 일본 등이 소속된 WHO 6개 지역 사무국 중의 하나로, 이번 메르스 대응 과정에서 ‘한국-WHO 메르스 합동평가단(6.9-13), ‘국가 방역체계 개편을 위한 WHO-美질병관리본부(CDC) 전문가 초청 토론회(6.24)’ 등에 참여하여 한국의 메르스 대응을 지원한 바 있다.

한편 이번에 게재된 영문 원본 ‘Intensified public health measures help control MERS-CoV outbreak in the Republic of Korea’는 다음과 같다.

 

Intensified public health measures help control MERS-CoV outbreak in the Republic of Korea
MANILA, 28 July 2015 - Intensified public health measures, including contact tracing, quarantine and isolation of all contacts and suspected cases, and infection prevention and control have brought the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) under control in the Republic of Korea. Since 4 July no new cases have been reported. Yesterday, all remaining contacts were released from quarantine symptom-free, following 14 days of isolation and monitoring.
“In the face of a newly emerging disease like MERS-CoV, the first challenge is always recognizing it,” said Dr Shin Young-soo, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for the Western Pacific.
Continued vigilance for any new cases of MERS-CoV through an early detection and rapid response system in particular, is highly recommended. Health-care workers should continue to practice stringent infection prevention and control measures when treating patients to protect themselves and others. This includes handwashing before and after consultation with each patient and wearing a medical mask, eye protection, gown and gloves when treating probable or confirmed MERS-CoV cases. Health-care workers should take the travel history of people presenting with symptoms of MERS-CoV.
“In our interconnected world, pathogens can travel rapidly, and outbreaks can occur in unexpected places” said Dr Shin. “All countries in WHO’s Western Pacific Region must remain alert for the possibility of an imported case of MERS-CoV and any other infectious disease and be ready to respond swiftly and efficiently.”
The outbreak, which began in May 2015 through the importation of a single case via a traveller from the Middle East, has remained confined to health-care facilities. There has been no evidence of airborne transmission and sustained human-to-human transmission in communities. Since the start of the outbreak 186 confirmed cases of MERS-CoV have been reported (including one confirmed case in China), with 36 related deaths. The virus was first identified in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2012 and camels are likely to be a major reservoir host for MERS-CoV. However, the exact role of camels in transmission of the virus and the exact route(s) of transmission are unknown. Globally, since September 2012, WHO has been notified of 1374 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including at least 490 related deaths.