Containing MERS - 메르스 억제

  Public concern is rising across the country over an outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome that has closed more than 500 schools. With new cases of infection being reported on a daily basis, the number of people placed under quarantine has exceeded 1,300. Fearful citizens are shocking up on face masks and hand sanitizer.

  Health authorities are certainly to blame for their clumsy initial response. President GH Park called for "utmost efforts" to prevent further spread of deadly virus in an emergency meeting of government offcials and civilian experts she convened Wednesday to map out a comprehensive quarantine strategy. She herself is criticized for having been inactive in coping with the outbreak of the disease.

  While the government is mainly responsible for its negligent response, it is also important for citizens to behave responsibly. Close cooperatin among the government, health experts and individuals is essential to prevent the country from being gripped by an excessive panic and the deadly virus from spreading further. To our regret, we have seen irresponsible individual behavior make the situation worse. 

  The first patient in Korea - a 68-year-old man diagnosed with MERS on May 20 - concealed the fact that he had traveled to three Middle East countries, including Saudi Arabia, in April when he saw medical doctors at four hospitals. A woman in her 50s, who was supposed to be under quarantine at home in Seoul, went with a group of 10 acquaintances to play golf in a provincial town this week.

 

1) contain : 포함하다(include). 억제하다(surpress, restrain)

2) outbreak : (전쟁, 사고, 질병 등의) 발발, 발생  cf. There was a mass outbreak of food poisoning.

3) under quarantine : 격리되어   cf. place under quarantine : 격리시키다.

4) clumsy [^|klʌmzi] : 어설픈, 서툰   cf. He is a such clumsy idioy that he always messes things up. 

5) convene : 회의를 소집하다.  -> convention : 관습, 관례, (전문직, 정당) 대회

6) negligent [^|neglɪdƷənt] : (의무 등에) 태만한, 등한시한, 안이한 <- neglect :돌보지않고 방치하다.  

        cf. negligent homicide charge : 과실 치사혐의