Effect of Information Disclosure Policy on Control of Infectious Disease: MERS-CoV Outbreak in South Korea

Noh, Jin-Won; Yoo, Ki-Bong; Kwon, Young Dae; Hong, Jin Hyuk; Lee, Yejin; Park, Kisoo

The following two mechanisms were presumably involved in the downward trend of infection. First, the information dissemination was likely to lower the possibility of the public's further contracting MERS-CoV, as it helped members of the public to avoid exposed hospitals with the given information by the health authority [13] . Following a news article, hospital utilization had decreased by up to 50% since 20 May 2015. This might have occurred because citizens were reluctant to visit hospitals as they were afraid of contracting the virus [2] . Therefore, the way citizens had stayed vigilant not to catch the virus was likely to be strengthened after the disclosure of the hospital names. Second, since the citizens had received the information regarding the affected hospitals, people who had visited one of those hospitals or contact friends and family who went to the affected medical facilities would be more likely to report to the KCDC when they experienced MERS symptoms such as fever, vomit, sore throat, vomiting, and diarrhea and follow the prevention and control guidance voluntarily and effectively [14] . These mechanisms are supposed to have contributed to the reduction in the number of confirmed cases.