Indonesia Won't Ban Travel to S. Korea Over MERS Outbreak
Jakarta. The ongoing outbreak of a deadly respiratory virus in South Korea is no reason for the Indonesian government to impose a travel warning for Indonesians who wish to visit the country.
South Korea's Health Ministry reported that the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) claimed the life of an 80-year-old man on Monday after the sixth victim — since June 1, when two Koreans died of the disease — had only been diagnosed with the virus earlier in the day.
The ministry also announced 23 new cases, taking the total number of people affected by the disease to 87.
"We have yet to issue a travel warning. However, for people who will be traveling to Korea, we urge them to stay on high alert by maintaining cleanliness and avoiding contact with people who have been infected," Indonesian Health Minister Nina Moeloek said on Monday in Jakarta.
Head of the research unit at the ministry, Tjandra Yoga Aditama, said the Indonesian government did not see the MERS outbreak in South Korea as a strong enough reason to ban Indonesians from visiting the Northeast Asian country.
Many cases have also been found in Saudi Arabia — where the virus was first discovered in 2012.
"I don't have the data, but it's pretty obvious that there are more Indonesians leaving the country for umrah [minor hajj pilgrimage] to Saudi Arabia, then Indonesians going to South Korea," Tjandra said separately on Monday.
Data from the Saudi Arabia government said the country had recorded a total of 1,014 MERS cases in the kingdom as of May 31 this year — with 446 deaths, 562 people who have recovered and six still being treated.
The Indonesian government has not imposed restrictions on travel to Saudi Arabia.
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