Seoul mayor’s ‘MERS politics’

At a press conference on Thursday, Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon briefed that a medical doctor called A, who has been showing severe symptoms of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) since May 30 after having experienced minor symptoms on May 29, has contacted over 1,000 citizens by continuing to work at a hospital for two days and attending a large-scale public events. “Doctor A, the 35th person who was confirmed as testing positive for MERS, attended the union meeting for the reconstruction of an apartment complex in Yangjae-dong, Seoul, where 1,565 people gathered in the evening of May 30. But the central government has not shared the relevant information,” Mayor Park added in criticism of the government for not making information available.

In response to the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s briefing, Health Minister Moon Hyung-pyo said, “The ministry immediately conducted epidemiological investigation on the suspected MERS case on May 31 and shared the information with the municipal government. Emergency meeting was held with the Soul City government officials to discuss follow-up measures for citizens who were contacted by the MERS infected doctor.” Moon added, “Health ministry needed more careful risk assessment before making an official announcement that the union meeting attendees are at risk of infection as a whole.”

“MERS symptoms have manifested since May 31. The reconstruction union meeting was in the evening of May 30, which I just dropped by and got out of earlier when people started gathering in multitude,” said the doctor. Medical experts’ agreed view is that there is little possibility of MERS infection to others during the incubation period before symptoms are manifested. It is evidenced by A’s wife, who was confirmed negative. About a symposium that the metropolitan government claimed that he attended in the morning on May 31, A countered that he didn’t.

It is not prudent for Seoul City to criticize as if A has contacted citizens despite high possibility of infection, without confirming the fact with A, and the health ministry has concealed the fact. Furthermore, the list of attendees to the reconstruction union meeting is owned by the applicable district office, not the Ministry of Health and Welfare. If the city government deemed it was necessary to notify the reconstruction union meeting participants, it would be more reasonable for the city to receive the list from the relevant district office and submit it to the ministry. It is hard to understand why Seoul Mayor criticized that the health ministry failed to have the list and identify who attended the union meeting.

As the mayor of Seoul City, Park should have discussed with the central government including the Ministry of Health and Welfare, investigated the fact and truth, and coordinated follow-up measures with the government. This is how a responsible administrator works. Criticism over politicization of MERS will arise if Mayor Park, the opposition party’s promising candidate for the next presidential election, cause unnecessary confusion and fear to the public by being obsessed with popularity.

Distrust of the central government is self-inflicted because of the government’s failure to contain the epidemic outbreak in its beginning and disclose information to the public. It is also frowned upon that the ruling Saenuri party and the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy are divided over Mayor Park’s briefing, raising their voices to criticize or support Park. Whether it is the ruling or opposition party, if politicians show bipartisanship over MERS that puts life and safety of the public at risk, the result would be rage of the public.