South Korea began stepping up border controls and tests on arrivals from five African nations due to an outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus, officials said Thursday.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said that it also started requiring arrivals who came from the five African nations — Rwanda, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo — to report to authorities if they develop the virus-related symptoms within 21 days of their visit.
The measures came after Rwanda reported 56 cases of Marburg virus infections since late September, including 12 deaths.
The KDCA will also deploy health officials to the arrival gates for direct flights from Ethiopia to check passengers’ body temperatures.
The symptoms include fever, chills, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, the KDCA said, noting that it is important for travelers to take precautionary measures as there is no available vaccine or treatment.
“We ask people traveling to countries with a Marburg
virus outbreak to refrain from coming into contact with wild animals, such as fruit bats and primates,” KDCA Commissioner Jee Young-mee said.
Source: Yonhap News Agency