Foreign Minister: Czechs not in direct danger from MERS

The country’s foreign minister, Lubomír Zaorálek, has said that Czechs are not in direct danger from MERS or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome after an outbreak in South Korea. Sixteen people there have succumbed to the deadly disease; another 150 have been infected. The outbreak in South Korea is the largest ever outside the Middle East, sources say. The Czech foreign minister met with Health Minister Svatopluk Němeček to assess the situation but the Czech Republic is introducing no extra measures at this time. Minister Zaorálek did say Czechs should consider whether or not to travel to the region and, if they do, should monitor their health upon return. There are direct flights between Seoul and Prague which the minister does not consider high risk as, in his view, South Korea is dealing with the outbreak head on, the Czech News Agency reported.

Author: Jan Velinger