• Food Industry
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• s.246
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• pp.2-3
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• 2015

메르스(MERS)는 새로운 변종 코로나바이러스(MERS-CoV) 감염으로 인한 중증급성호흡기질환의 이름이다. 2015년 5월 20일 한국에서 메르스 최초 감염자가 확인되었다. 2015년 6월 17일 기준으로 메르스로 인한 격리대상자는 6,508명이며, 잠복기가 지나 격리가 해제된 사람은 총 3,951명이다. 메르스 광풍에서 살아남을 수 있는 방법은 없을까.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.94-106
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• 2018

The epidemiological model is useful for creating simulation and associated preventive measures for disease spread, and provides a detailed understanding of the spread of disease space through contact with individuals. In this study, propose an agent-based spatial model(ABM) integrated with spatial big data to simulate the spread of MERS-CoV infections in real time as a result of the interaction between individuals in space. The model described direct contact between individuals and hospitals, taking into account three factors : population, time, and space. The dynamic relationship of the population was based on the MERS-CoV case in Seoul Metropolitan Government in 2015. The model was used to predict the occurrence of MERS, compare the actual spread of MERS with the results of this model by time series, and verify the validity of the model by applying various scenarios. Testing various preventive measures using the measures proposed to select a quarantine strategy in the event of MERS-CoV outbreaks is expected to play an important role in controlling the spread of MERS-CoV.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.124-136
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• 2016

Because of continuous outbreaks of disasters and emergencies, the importance of government crisis management has been increased. This study analyzed the Korean government's response messages during the 2015 MERS outbreak, which was an emergency issue that showed a great ripple effect. According to the three diffusion phases of MERS, the semantic network analysis of 134 press releases on the central and local governments' official web sites of MERS was conducted. The results showed that during the early stage of MERS, the central government misperceived the crisis situation, and as a result, specific and enough information was not provided promptly regarding a list of hospitals with known MERS exposure and prevention method. During MERS diffusion and decline stages, Seoul and Gyeonggi-do provided more specific and actionable messages than the central government. This study was meaningful in that it analyzed and evaluated crisis communication messages during an outbreak of the infectious disease. The findings of this study provide useful implications for government officials in their crisis management and communication strategy during emergency risk situations.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.136-142
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• 2015

The Korean Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases (KSPID) has participated in the task force team consisting of government authorities as well as civil medical experts and facilities to block the spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in 2015. KSPID posted the "Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) Pop-up" in the homepage of The Korean Pediatric Society and The Korean Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. KSPID also released the "Guidelines for testing for MERS in children and adolescents" and the "Instructions for the Operation of National Safe Hospital" for children and adolescents in a timely manner. Such actions were aimed to prevent unnecessary anxieties, studies and isolation of pediatric patients with respiratory symptoms and signs caused by other common microbial etiologies as being suspected for MERS patients. This strategy relieved the doctors and parents from unnecessary fear and prevented the loss of unnecessary health care costs, and has proven to be a well-judged guideline and management protocol as evaluated after the final end of MERS outbreak. KSPID and its members should support the presence of pediatric infectious disease (PID) specialists in every medium size hospitals in Korea by developing the need for consultation fees for PID consultation in the hospital based practice and promoting the potential for cost savings related to prevention of health care associated infections and optimal prescription of antimicrobial agents. KSPID and its members need to approach and develop a communication plan to political decision makers to demonstrate and convince them of the importance of a PID specialist service.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.145-154
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• 2022

Objectives : This study intends to assess the associations among perceived stigma at the time of infection, coping strategies adopted 12 months later and depressive and posttraumatic symptoms 24 months later in Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) survivors. Methods : A nationwide cohort study was conducted on 63 survivors of 2015 MERS outbreak. Demographic data, illness severity of MERS, depression and posttraumatic stress symptoms, coping strategies and MERS-related stigma were collected 12 and 24 months after the MERS outbreak, respectively. Results : Higher levels of perceived stigma at the time of outbreak were associated with higher levels of dysfunctional coping strategies after 12 months (p=0.003) and more severe depressive (p=0.058) and posttraumatic stress symptoms (p=0.011) after 24 months. Moreover, higher levels of dysfunctional coping strategies after 12 months were significantly associated with more severe depressive (p=0.002) and posttraumatic stress symptoms (p<0.001) after 24 months. Conclusions : Social stigma against people who have contracted an emerging infectious disease can leave a negative impact on the mental health of the survivors in the long term. In case of novel pandemics in the future, prompt rectification of stigma and promotion of adaptive coping strategies in survivors are needed.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.5-22
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• 2016

MERS(Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), an acute and infectious viral disease with high fatality sneaked in South Korea in May 2016. Although MERS is officially declared to be exterminated in Korea by the date of December 24, it aroused a great panic throughout the country and remained many tasks requiring sincere deliberations and innovative actions. This study starts to summarize all that had been happening during first 7 months since last May, reconsider the whole process in light of disaster paradigm, analyze the causes and tasks of such turmoil under the framework of social medicine. It is wrapped up with the visions and prospect of the social medicine, an interdisciplinary approach that takes into account the expert knowledge of academia, administrative knowledge of government, media knowledge from traditional/new media and lay knowledge of civil society.

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.19-28
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to propose a design methodology to build temporary isolation rooms when infectious diseases suddenly occur in a certain region, such as the case of MERS-Cov in South Korea in 2015. Although most big hospitals usually have isolation rooms, they are expensive and dangerous to run such facilities on normal and typical days. To deal with these problems in this research, shipping containers are chosen as devices used to build the temporary isolation rooms near the original hospital. To do so, firstly, a prototype for the temporary isolation room was designed with the three part modules. The first part is for the medical team; the second part including the isolation rooms is for patients; the third part is for medical selection rooms to test the specimens. Secondly, the plan was compared with the MERS-Cov infection control guidelines. Finally this prototype is applied into the Yong-in Yon-sei severance hospital and then evaluated through a CFD simulation using STAR-CCM+(ver.9.06) for checking infectious bacterium movement in this prototype. The result showed that the prototype is effectively safe for patients tested as negative, patients waiting to be tested, and the medical team.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.381-391
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• 2016

This study analyzed the reporting activities of journalists who covered MERS-CoV in 2015. Twenty-one reporters were interviewed to investigate their differences in reporting. They were categorized into four small groups based on their specialism and professionalism. Some specialist reporters answered that they acknowledged the first MERS patient through an external source. A few special reporters contacted foreign experts for further information and one of them answered that she read academic articles on MERS to verify governmental announcements. Specialist reporter groups and the other groups showed difference when they were asked the situation they felt something was going wrong in governmental communication: Many specialist reporters pointed out the outbreak of a patient from out of the monitoring people, but many general reporters emphasized the policy of the government not to reveal the name of hospitals that the outbreaks happened.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.18 no.7
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• pp.484-494
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• 2018

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), which occurred in the Middle East in 2015, is the most acute respiratory infectious disease in Korea. The limitations of the government's ability to respond to the spread of MERS and the inadequate communication of the government to the public have reduced the public's confidence in the government's infectious disease management policy. And it became an opportunity to raise awareness that infectious diseases could easily break down the national anti-virus system. Therefore, this study investigated the emergency response system of the infectious disease in the United States and sought to improve the infection control system in Korea. In order to achieve the purpose of the study, we analyzed the government's response to the MERS in 2015, analyzed the organization structure and role of the US CDC, and IMS.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.45-56
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• 2016

Purpose: The MERS(Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) outbreaks in Korea highlighted dramatically the failings of traditional hospital environment for controlling or preventing infections among both patients and healthcare workers. MERS is transmitted by droplets that can be airborne over a limited area. The point should be emphasized that MERS in South Korea was predominantly a hospital-acquired (not a community-acquired) infection, because approximately 93% of MERS cases were resulted from exposure in hospital settings. This paper tries to suggest the design guidelines of negative pressured isolation ward for the sake of proper control of severe respiratory infectious diseases. Methods: Literature survey on the design guideline and regulations of airborne infection wards in Korea, Europe U.K. and CDC of U.S. have been carries out. 4 special infection wards in Hongkong, Germany, Japan and Korea have been surveyed in order to make the best use of the experiences related to facility design and operations. Results: Operating system influencing the facility design, space organizations of infectious ward including required space and zoning, and circulations of patients, staffs and materials are proposed. Implications: The results of this paper can be the basic data for the design of the airborne infection ward and relevant regulations. Afterwards in-depth study such as the development of space standards for the single bedroom, locker room and so on could be explored.