Following the news that the deadly infection known as MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) virus that has reached South Korea, hundreds of Chinese tourists has already cancelled their travel plans to the said country. Despite the said fear over MERS, the World Health Organization claims that such measures are deemed unnecessary.

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More than 2,500 travelers from China, particularly Taiwan and Hong Kong, have cancelled their plans to visit South Korea due to the infectious disease. Yet, Christian Lindmeier claims such measures are simply exaggerated. For one, the isolation and treatment of the infected MERS individuals rules out need for cross-border control for travelers.

However, even with WHO closely monitoring South Korea, this has not stopped Chinese travelers' fears of the infectious disease. Aside from Chinese travelers, even the country's health department has taken a step up its game for MERS precaution.

China's National Health and Family Planning Commission had released a manual on MERS last Tuesday to hospitals and health departments. The manual contains an introduction to the disease, symptoms, tests, preventive measure, care, and treatment.

While South Korea has a record of 30 individuals said to be infected of MERS, China has only one MERS patient who had been confined in South China's Guangdong Province. The man is reportedly from the Republic of Korea and that his condition is worsening. In South Korea alone, two of the individuals infected with MERS had passed away.

Around 77 people have said to be in close contact with the infected individual. Out of the 77 people, 67 of them have already been quarantined. Reportedly, none of the individuals currently in quarantine are showing symptoms of the MERS virus.

MERS, a corona-type virus, is a deadly illness with no cure or vaccine available. Treatment alone is focused on alleviating the symptoms caused by the infection. The WHO has recorded 1,000 cases of the MERS virus with over 400 deaths stemming from it. The deadly virus MERS is said to be closely related to SARS, which has killed more than 770 people in the world since its outbreak in 2003.

For now, Chinese officials are closely monitoring the infected MERS individual while Chinese tourists plan to stay home for their safety.