Holders of Republic of Korea passports are now required to fill in a health declaration form upon arrival, as the Government stepped up measures to prevent an outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in Macao. And leaflets are being distributed at immigration checkpoints urging Korean visitors to wear surgical masks if they developed symptoms such as fever, cough and shortness of breath, and to seek medical treatment immediately. Meanwhile, the Public Security Police Force had invited the Health Bureau officers to brief its staff on how to handle suspected MERS cases, its symptoms and preventive measures. The Government has advised residents to avoid unnecessary travel to Korea and introduced a string of measures, including the 24-hour operation of the MERS cross-departmental group and the extension of the enquiry hotline 2870 0800 from 9 am to midnight. It also urged the public to use ambulances and go to Conde S. Januário Hospital if they experienced MERS symptoms within 14 days of returning from affected areas instead of using public transportation or visit other clinics. So far no report of the virus has been detected in Macao.
