S. Korea steps up preventive measures aginast Zika virus

전세계 '지카 바이러스' 공포... 한국 확산 예방에 대응체계 강화
Eventhough the likelihood of the Zika virus spreading to the country is very low, Korea is not taking any chances.
Kim Hyun-bin reports on how authorities are pulling out all the stops to eliminate the posibility of an outbreak.
Korea has stepped up efforts against the Zika virus amid growing concerns over a global outbreak.
Just days after the World Health Organization has declared the virus as a global Health Emergency, the first pregnancy case has been confirmed in Europe as a woman in Spain has tested positive to the virus.

While international efforts to cope with Zika are ongoing in various fields, especially in the tourism sector,… Korea's land ministry has also announced that pregnant passengers will temporarily be exempt from flight cancellation fees if they have tickets to Zika-affected countries.

Korean Air, Asiana Airlines and the nation's low cost carriers will not receive any cancellation fees for flights scheduled until April 30th.
Jin Air and T-way Air have further expanded the scope of the exemption for flights to major tourist cities in Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam.

Experts in Seoul say although chances of a Zika outbreak across the country are narrow, they warn that Korea should not rule out the possibility of the virus making its way here in the future.

"Well I think that the concern about contracting within Korea itself, is not really warranted. Real impact that it would have for Koreans is for Korean travelers to areas that are endemic or potentially endemic for zika virus infection."

As part of preventive measures against the virus, the Korean government has advised any travelers who have been to regions affected by the virus to refrain from donating blood for a month, even if they don't show any symptoms.
Bruce Harrison, Arirang News.


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