MERS、韓国で事実上終息 発生から68日ぶりに患者ゼロ

韓国で186人が感染し、36人の死者を出したMERS(中東呼吸器症候群)で、自宅隔離となっていた最後の対象者が、7月27日午前0時で解除された。
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ASSOCIATED PRESS

韓国で186人が感染し、36人の死者を出したMERS(中東呼吸器症候群)。最後の自宅隔離対象となっていた人への隔離措置が、7月27日午前0時で解除された。

聯合ニュースによると、68日ぶりに患者数がゼロになったことで、韓国政府は28日、黄教安(ファン・ギョアン)首相が対策会議を開いて国民向けメッセージを発表し、MERSの事実上終息を宣言する。日常生活に戻るよう訴える内容だという。

MERSで隔離された人は、5月20日に1人目の患者が陽性判定を受けて以後、計1万6693人にのぼる。現在、MERSに感染後、入院治療している患者は12人で、うち11人は遺伝子検査で陰性判定を受けている。もう1人は陽性と陰性が交互に出ている状況だという。

世界保健機関(WHO)の基準では、最後の陽性患者の体内からウイルスがなくなって28日後が終息宣言の目安となる。この基準に基づくと8月下旬になる見込みだ。

韓国でMERSの感染広がる
South Korea Reports Eighth MERS Death(01 of28)
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SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - JUNE 09: Elementary school students wear masks as a precaution against the MERS virus as they wait for a lesson to start at Midong Elementary School on June 9, 2015 in Seoul, South Korea. South Korea has reported eight deaths related to the virus with 2,500 people quarantined and 1,800 schools closed as of June 9, 2015. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images) (credit:Chung Sung-Jun via Getty Images)
SKOREA-HEALTH-MERS(02 of28)
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A student has her temperature taken by a teacher outside the Sungshin elementary school in Seoul on June 8, 2015. South Korea recorded its sixth death and biggest single day jump in Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) infections, with 23 new cases in the largest outbreak of the potentially deadly virus outside Saudi Arabia. AFP PHOTO / Ed Jones (Photo credit should read ED JONES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:ED JONES via Getty Images)
South Korea Reports Eighth MERS Death(03 of28)
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SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - JUNE 09: Elementary school students wear masks as a precaution against the MERS virus as they wait for a lesson to start at Midong Elementary School on June 9, 2015 in Seoul, South Korea. South Korea has reported eight deaths related to the virus with 2,500 people quarantined and 1,800 schools closed as of June 9, 2015. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images) (credit:Chung Sung-Jun via Getty Images)
South Korea Reports Eighth MERS Death(04 of28)
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SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - JUNE 09: Elementary school students wear masks as a precaution against the MERS virus as they arrive at Midong Elementary School on June 9, 2015 in Seoul, South Korea. South Korea has reported eight deaths related to the virus with 2,500 people quarantined and 1,800 schools closed as of June 9, 2015. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images) (credit:Chung Sung-Jun via Getty Images)
South Korea Reports Eighth MERS Death(05 of28)
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SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - JUNE 09: Elementary school students wear masks as a precaution against the MERS virus as they wait for a lesson to start at Midong Elementary School on June 9, 2015 in Seoul, South Korea. South Korea has reported eight deaths related to the virus with 2,500 people quarantined and 1,800 schools closed as of June 9, 2015. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images) (credit:Chung Sung-Jun via Getty Images)
South Korea MERS(06 of28)
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Philippines tourists wear masks as a precaution against the MERS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, virus on a subway train in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, June 7, 2015. A fifth person in the country has died of the MERS virus, as the government announced Sunday it was strengthening measures to stem the spread of the disease and public fear. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
South Korea MERS(07 of28)
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Hospital workers wear masks as a precaution against the MERS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, virus as they work in front of an emergency room of Samsung Medical Center in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, June 7, 2015. A fifth person in South Korea has died of the MERS virus, as the government announced Sunday it was strengthening measures to stem the spread of the disease and public fear.(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
South Korea MERS(08 of28)
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A tourist wears mask as a precaution against MERS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, virus at the Gyeongbok Palace, one of South Korea\'s well-known landmarks, in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, June 7, 2015. A fifth person in the country has died of the MERS virus, as the government announced Sunday it was strengthening measures to stem the spread of the disease and public fear. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
South Korea MERS(09 of28)
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Tourists wear masks as a precaution against MERS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, virus as they visit Gyeongbok Palace, one of South Korea\'s well-known landmarks, in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, June 7, 2015. A fifth person in the country has died of the MERS virus, as the government announced Sunday it was strengthening measures to stem the spread of the disease and public fear. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
South Korea MERS(10 of28)
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A passenger wears a mask as a precaution against the MERS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, virus on a subway train in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, June 7, 2015. A fifth person in South Korea has died of the MERS virus, as the government announced Sunday it was strengthening measures to stem the spread of the disease and public fear.(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
South Korea China MERS(11 of28)
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South Korean Health and Welfare Minister Moon Hyung-pyo, left, speaks during a press conference to announce how to further prevent the spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) at the government complex in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, May 31, 2015. China on Friday confirmed its first case of MERS in a South Korean businessman who ignored instructions to stay home after his father was diagnosed with the disease. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(12 of28)
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(13 of28)
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(14 of28)
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(15 of28)
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South Korea MERS Virus(16 of28)
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A man helps a patient to wear a mask as a precaution against the possible MERS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, virus in front of a facility to examine temporarily quarantined people who could be infected with the MERS virus at Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul, South Korea Monday, June 1, 2015. More than 680 people in South Korea are isolated after having contact with patients infected with the virus that has killed hundreds of people in the Middle East, health officials said Monday.(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
SKOREA-HEALTH-MERS(17 of28)
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A man wearing a face mask walks outside the Gyeongbokgung palace in Seoul on June 1, 2015. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye scolded health officials over their \'insufficient\' response to an outbreak of the MERS virus, as the number of infections climbed to 18, with nearly 700 under observation. AFP PHOTO / Ed Jones (Photo credit should read ED JONES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:ED JONES via Getty Images)
SKOREA-HEALTH-MERS(18 of28)
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A man wearing a face mask walks through a market in Seoul on June 1, 2015. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye scolded health officials over their \'insufficient\' response to an outbreak of the MERS virus, as the number of infections climbed to 18, with nearly 700 under observation. AFP PHOTO / Ed Jones (Photo credit should read ED JONES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:ED JONES via Getty Images)
SKOREA-HEALTH-MERS(19 of28)
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South Korean hospital workers set a separated emergency center for MERS cases at the National Medical Center in Seoul on June 1, 2015. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye scolded health officials on June 1, over their response to an outbreak of the MERS virus, as the number of infections climbed to 18, with nearly 700 under observation. Major South Korean hospitals are setting up special MERS clinic rooms to fight the disease. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:JUNG YEON-JE via Getty Images)
South Korea MERS Virus(20 of28)
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South Koreans wearing masks as a precaution against the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome virus sit at an emergency room at Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul, South Korea Monday, June 1, 2015. More than 680 people in South Korea are isolated after having contact with patients infected with a virus that has killed hundreds of people in the Middle East, health officials said Monday. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
South Korea MERS Virus(21 of28)
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A patient wearing a mask as a precaution against the MERS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, virus walks by a facility to examine temporarily quarantined people who could be infected with the MERS virus at Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul, South Korea Monday, June 1, 2015. More than 680 people in South Korea are isolated after having contact with patients infected with the virus that has killed hundreds of people in the Middle East, health officials said Monday. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
South Korea China MERS(22 of28)
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South Korean Health and Welfare Minister Moon Hyung-pyo speaks during a press conference to announce how to further prevent the spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) at the government complex in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, May 31, 2015. China on Friday confirmed its first case of MERS in a South Korean businessman who ignored instructions to stay home after his father was diagnosed with the disease. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
South Korea China MERS(23 of28)
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South Korean Health and Welfare Minister Moon Hyung-pyo, left, speaks during a press conference to announce how to further prevent the spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) at the government complex in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, May 31, 2015. China on Friday confirmed its first case of MERS in a South Korean businessman who ignored instructions to stay home after his father was diagnosed with the disease. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
SKOREA-HEALTH-MERS(24 of28)
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A South Korean hospital worker wearing a mask stands in front of a public notice on MERS while setting up a separated emergency center at the National Medical Center in Seoul on June 1, 2015. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye scolded health officials on June 1, over their response to an outbreak of the MERS virus, as the number of infections climbed to 18, with nearly 700 under observation. Major South Korean hospitals are setting up special MERS clinic rooms to fight the disease. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:JUNG YEON-JE via Getty Images)
SKOREA-HEALTH-MERS(25 of28)
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South Korean hospital workers wearing masks stand in front of a public notice on MERS while setting up a separated emergency center at the National Medical Center in Seoul on June 1, 2015. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye scolded health officials on June 1, over their response to an outbreak of the MERS virus, as the number of infections climbed to 18, with nearly 700 under observation. Major South Korean hospitals are setting up special MERS clinic rooms to fight the disease. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:JUNG YEON-JE via Getty Images)
SKOREA-HEALTH-MERS(26 of28)
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South Korean rescue members carry a woman in front of a public notice on MERS at the National Medical Center in Seoul on June 1, 2015. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye scolded health officials on June 1, over their response to an outbreak of the MERS virus, as the number of infections climbed to 18, with nearly 700 under observation. Major South Korean hospitals are setting up special MERS clinic rooms to fight the disease. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:JUNG YEON-JE via Getty Images)
SKOREA-HEALTH-MERS(27 of28)
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South Korean hospital workers wearing masks stand in front of a public notice on MERS while setting up a separated emergency center at the National Medical Center in Seoul on June 1, 2015. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye scolded health officials on June 1, over their response to an outbreak of the MERS virus, as the number of infections climbed to 18, with nearly 700 under observation. Major South Korean hospitals are setting up special MERS clinic rooms to fight the disease. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:JUNG YEON-JE via Getty Images)
SKOREA-HEALTH-MERS(28 of28)
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South Korean hospital workers set a separated emergency center for MERS cases at the National Medical Center in Seoul on June 1, 2015. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye scolded health officials on June 1, over their response to an outbreak of the MERS virus, as the number of infections climbed to 18, with nearly 700 under observation. Major South Korean hospitals are setting up special MERS clinic rooms to fight the disease. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:JUNG YEON-JE via Getty Images)