National athletes that will be taking part in the Summer Universiade in Gwangju, South Korea next month have been advised to prioritize their health and hygiene in order to prevent any illness while competing in the event.
Head of the Malaysian medical team, Prof. Madya, Dr Abdul Halim Mokhtar, claimed that the step is highly necessary as the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is still flooding South Korea.
“However, we are not in the exactly in the location where it is highly contagious, which is Seoul. The athletes will land in Incheon and that travel to Gwangju. So, we are not in the risky area,” said Dr Abdul Halim Mokhtar as quoted from Utusan.
“Nevertheless, I strongly urge the athletes to take care of their health and get adequate amount of sleep. Most importantly, keep an eye on what they consume.”
“Those are the universal precautions which are very important during a flu epidemic.”
Athletes are advised to reduce outdoor activities during their stay in order.
“They need to avoid crowded places, but we are there to compete so it will be quite hard to do so. However, if they aren’t competing then it is strongly recommended for them to stay indoors. They should also use sanitizers,” he added.
“For now, there isn’t any distinct explanation on how the infection can happen. Therefore, the athletes must always take care of their body because if they have a fever of cough, they need to stay in South Korean much longer in order to get a confirmation that they are not infected by the MERS virus.”
A total of 111 athletes and 67 staff will be involved in the Summer Universiade, which will commence in July 3 till July 14.
Photo credits: insidethegames.biz
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