Gov't Steps Up Fight Against Zika

The government plans to use travelers' roaming records to fight infectious diseases like the Zika virus, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Wednesday.

Health Minister Chung Chin-yeob said the ministry would introduce the "smart quarantine system" by the end of the year.

The announcement came a day after Korea had its first confirmed case of the Zika virus.

Under the system, health authorities, with the help of airport and immigration authorities, plan to track travelers' mobile phone roaming histories and to text guidelines about infectious diseases to people who visit high-risk countries and enter Korea via a third country.

"So far, those who have visited a country where an infectious disease was rampant were excluded from government monitoring if they returned to Korea after a stopover in a third country, thus adding to the rapid spread of the disease here, such as Middle East Reparatory Syndrome (MERS)," Chung said during an emergency meeting with the ruling Saenuri Party officials at the National Assembly in Seoul.

If they use roaming services, however, we can learn which countries they have visited. And most people use the services these days.

Talks are being held with the nation's second-largest mobile carrier, KT, and the ministry plans to have SKT and LG Uplus participate by the end of the year.

The ministry is also considering creating a database of passengers' travel histories and health information such as body temperatures upon arrival in Korea.

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