The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) announced a successive measurement to prevent another SARS outbreak would be actively enforced. The epidemic, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) has swiped the world and almost about 800 to 3,800 have suffered. 

MOHW held a conference with health officials at the Gwacheon Government Complex on Oct. 6 and discussed strengthening measurements into 3 stages if SARS happens to break out – SARS warning, SARS alarm and SARS state of emergency. 

When the SARS state of emergency is invoked by a second dissemination of SARS in Korea, the Prime Minister will announce the situation immediately and enforce various emergency countermeasures. Hospitals with patients or staff showing SARS symptoms will be isolated entirely to prevent SARS from spreading further. 

Current 35 staff members of the SARS Field Epidemiology Training Program will be extended to 55 people and if extra segregation hospitals national and public hospitals will be appointed and patients numbering at least 400 will be isolated for about 10 days in quarantine facilities at airports and harbors per city and province. 

In addition, SARS hot lines in each city and province will be operated around the clock, national public information on the epidemic, and a SARS network of medical centers across the nation will be established. 

Source : Yonhap News Agency, Oct. 6, 2003