HEALTH-MERS/SOUTH KOREA-EXAM More than 130,000 South Koreans take civil service exam amid MERS outbreak

Record ID: 151075

  • Title: HEALTH-MERS/SOUTH KOREA-EXAM More than 130,000 South Koreans take civil service exam amid MERS outbreak
  • Date: 13th June 2015
  • Summary: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (JUNE 13, 2015) (REUTERS) PEOPLE WEARING FACE MASK WALKING EXAM TAKER WEARING FACE MASK WALKING EXTERIOR OF SCHOOL WHERE SEOUL CITY OFFICIAL EXAM TAKE PLACE SIGN READING (in Korean): EXAMINATION SITE FOR SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL EXAM EXAM TAKERS GETTING THEIR TEMPERATURE CHECKED VARIOUS OF WOMAN WEARING FACE MASK CHECKING TEMPERATURE OF EXA
  • Embargoed: 28th June 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVABLDFC2CVEVRPHYICX8DC4B884
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Tens of thousands took a civil service exam on Saturday (June 13) in Seoul despite a rising number of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) cases in the country.
    More than 130,000 people applied for the annual Seoul city official exam, which took place in 155 schools in Seoul, Seoul Human Resources Development Center said.
    There was an argument over the postponement of the exam, but the Seoul Metropolitan government decided to move ahead with the test and carried out disinfectant measures.
    "Seoul Metropolitan government prepared face masks and hand sanitizers for exam takers to let them take the exam safely, since there were many worries about MERS," Seoul city official Lee Sam-taik said.
    Exam takers had their body temperatures checked and used hand sanitizers before entering the classroom. This measure was considered a relief in the face of the health threat.
    "I was worried, because there was a nationwide fear about MERS. Also there was an argument on postponing the test. Nevertheless, I came here, because I have been preparing this test for a year. I'm relieved to see the city officials preparing disinfectant to prevent (the spread of MERS)," a 31-year-old exam taker Choe Won-yeong said.
    South Korea's health ministry on Saturday reported 12 new cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), bringing the total to 138, and said a 14th person had died in the outbreak.
    MERS is caused by a coronavirus from the same family as the one that caused SARS. It is more deadly than SARS but does not spread as easily, at least for now. There is no cure or vaccine.
    The outbreak is the largest outside Saudi Arabia, where the disease was first identified in humans in 2012, and has stirred fears in Asia of a repeat of a 2002-2003 scare when Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) killed about 800 people worldwide.
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