Personal Hygiene Guidelines: Hand Washing and Cough Etiquette
Jinan County in North Jeolla Province announced on April 28 that, with the arrival of Family Month in May and an expected increase in overseas travelers, it is urging the public to pay special attention to infectious disease prevention guidelines when traveling abroad.
In particular, as measles is spreading globally and cases of domestic transmission through overseas travel are increasing, heightened caution is required.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, from January to April 12 of this year, there have been a total of 39 reported measles cases in Korea, of which 23 were confirmed as imported cases. Among these, 12 cases were identified as secondary infections resulting from further transmission.
The county has recommended refraining from visiting countries experiencing measles outbreaks, such as Vietnam, Cambodia, China, and the Philippines. If travel to these countries is unavoidable, the county emphasized the importance of checking one's measles (MMR) vaccination status before departure and receiving the vaccine if there is no prior vaccination record.
During travel, individuals are advised to strictly follow personal hygiene practices such as hand washing and proper cough etiquette, and to avoid contact with anyone exhibiting suspected measles symptoms, including fever or rash.
Additionally, if symptoms such as fever, rash, cough, runny nose, or conjunctivitis develop after returning from overseas travel, travelers are urged to report their health status to quarantine officers at the port of entry and to visit a medical institution immediately for evaluation and treatment.
Besides measles, there are also risks of contracting waterborne and foodborne infectious diseases (such as cholera, typhoid fever, bacterial dysentery, and hepatitis A), as well as mosquito-borne diseases (including yellow fever, dengue fever, Zika virus infection, and malaria), making it necessary to exercise extra caution.
For safe overseas travel, the county highlighted the following guidelines: ▲ Check information on infectious diseases in the destination country before travel ▲ Ensure completion of vaccinations and prepare preventive medicines and supplies ▲ Be cautious of contact with animals and mosquito bites during travel ▲ Submit a health declaration form upon entry ▲ Report any symptoms of infectious diseases to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency call center after returning to Korea.
A county official stated, "We hope that residents planning overseas travel will thoroughly familiarize themselves with infectious disease prevention guidelines before departure and maintain strict personal hygiene to ensure a healthy trip."
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