CRISIS MANAGEMENT
10.15 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)
10.15.1 What is MERS
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is a viral respiratory illness
caused by a coronavirus (CoV). Public health officials often refer to the virus as
MERS-CoV. It was first reported in Saudi Arabia in September 2012. It is
different from any other coronavirus previously found in people. We don’t know
where the virus came from or exactly how it spreads. However, it likely came
from an animal source. Between 2012 and June 1, 2015, the illness was reported
in more than a dozen countries in the Arabian Peninsula, Europe, Malaysia, US,
China and South Korea. Over the same period, the World Health organization
was informed of 1152 laboratory-confirmed cases of MERS-CoV infection
and 434 deaths1.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS
Most people infected with MERS-CoV develop severe acute respiratory illness
with symptoms of fever (greater than 100.4F (38.0C) cough, and shortness of
breath. Some people were reported as having a mild respiratory illness.
HOW IS IT TRANSMITTED
There is very little information on disease transmission, but MERS-CoV has been
shown to spread between people who are in close contact. Transmission from
infected patients to healthcare personnel has been observed. Multiple clusters of
cases have occurred in which human-to-human transmission is evident. These
clusters have been observed in health-care facilities, among family members and
between co-workers.1
The mechanism by which transmission occurred in all of these cases, whether
respiratory (e.g. coughing, sneezing) or direct physical contact with the patient or
contamination of the environment by the patient, is unknown.2 Droplet
precautions and contact precautions should be observed when people cough or
sneeze. Respiratory droplets can be propelled up to a distance of three
Updated on: 19th June 2015
DUSIT INTERNATIONAL
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enlivening The Individual Spirit No Matter What The Journey
CORPORATE SECURITY MANUAL 05-2015 Page 2 of 7
feet. Virus droplets cause illness when they contaminate mucous membranes in
the mouth, nose or eyes.
10. CRISIS MANAGEMENT
10.15 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)
10.15.2 HOW IS IT CONTROLLED
Since MERS is thought to primarily spread via close personal contact,
attention to personal hygiene is key, including proper hand washing, use of
alcohol-based hand sanitizers, covering coughs and sneezes and avoiding
touching eyes, nose and mouth. Standard infection control procedures and the
use of personal protective equipment and other appropriate infection prevention
and control measures related to the scope of the illness should be followed.2
Until more is understood about MERS-CoV, people with diabetes, renal failure,
chronic lung disease, and immunocompromised persons are considered to be at
high risk of severe disease from MERS-‐CoV infection. Therefore, these people
should avoid close contact with animals, particularly camels, when visiting farms,
markets, or barn areas where the virus is known to be potentially circulating.
General hygiene measures, such as regular hand washing before and after
touching animals and avoiding contact with sick animals, should be adhered to.
Food hygiene practices should be observed. People should avoid drinking raw
camel milk or camel urine, or eating meat that has not been properly cooked.
“WHO” does not advise special screening at points of entry with regard to this
event nor does it currently recommend the application of any travel or trade
restrictions.1
REFERENCES AND FURTHER INFORMATION
1) http://www.who.int/csr/don/01-june-2015-mers-korea/en/
2) http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/mers/index.html
DUSIT INTERNATIONAL
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enlivening The Individual Spirit No Matter What The Journey
CORPORATE SECURITY MANUAL 05-2015 Page 3 of 7
10. CRISIS MANAGEMENT
10.15 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)
10.15.3 CONTAGIOUS OR INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Generally, a hotel has a right, and perhaps an obligation, to refuse to
accommodate an individual with a contagious or infectious disease, including but
not limited to such diseases as MERs, tuberculosis, SARS, hepatitis, Norwalk
Virus, Legionnaire’s diseases, and measles, However as a place of public
accommodation, a hotel must comply with local, state and federal laws
prohibiting discrimination, including the Americans With Disabilities ACT, which
forbids discrimination against “individuals with disabilities”. Therefore, before
denying accommodations to any individual(s), a hotel should contact the Legal
Department for advice.
If a hotel has a reasonable grounds to suspect, or has been advised by a
reasonably reputable source (e.g. a cruise line as advised the hotel that
disembarking passengers have a contagious disease), that a guest, customer, or
employee has contracted a contagious disease, the hotel should follow the steps
set forth below. Other than notification to the Health Department and any other
reporting obligation the hotel may have, the hotel must exercise care in keeping
medical information concerning a guest, customer, or employee confidential.
The following are general guidelines for responding to a situation involving an
individual suspected of being ill with a contagious or infectious disease on hotel
premises:
1. Request that the guest return to his/her room, or go to a medical facility,
and minimize contact with others. An employee who contracts a
contagious or infectious disease should be sent to a medical facility for
examination.
2. Call the local Health Department to report the illness and follow their
instructions
Updated on: 19th June 2015
DUSIT INTERNATIONAL
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enlivening The Individual Spirit No Matter What The Journey
CORPORATE SECURITY MANUAL 05-2015 Page 4 of 7
10. CRISIS MANAGEMENT
10.15 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)
10.15.3 CONTAGIOUS OR INFECTIOUS DISEASES (Cont.)
3. Additional requirement in MERS cases: In the case of MERS after inform
GM/RM the hotel should call your CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL.
For Thailand (02-590-3333) and NARENTHORN EMS CENTER (1669)
to alert them that an individual from an area with the mentioned symptoms
requires evaluation so that advance preparations can be made to
implement infection control procedure by the appropriate emergency and
other health professionals.
EXCEPTION: IF YOU HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY THE AIRLINE, CRUISE
LINE/CRUISE SHIP THAT A PARTIFULAR PASSENGER HAS BEEN FORCED
TO DISEMBARK FROM AN AIRCRAFT/CRUISE SHIP AS A RESULT OF FLULIKE
SYMPTOMS OR OTHER CONTAGIOUS OR INFECTIOUS DISEASE
CONCERNS, THE HOTEL SHOULD INITIALLY DECLINE TO ACCOMMODATE
SUCH PASSENGER AND CONTACT THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT FOR
FURTHER ADVISE ON WHETHER OR NOT SUCH A PASSENGER SHOULD
BE ACCOMODATED BY HOTEL.
Updated on: 19th June 2015
DUSIT INTERNATIONAL
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enlivening The Individual Spirit No Matter What The Journey
CORPORATE SECURITY MANUAL 05-2015 Page 5 of 7
10. CRISIS MANAGEMENT
10.15 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)
10.15.4 SAFEY PROTOCOLS (AVIAN FLU, SWINE FLU, H1N1)
As a Minimum Safety Measures to prevent and minimize the expanding or
eliminate the carrier chain of MERS like Symptoms. The following steps need to
be implementing as a minimum preventive measures:
1. The implementation of disinfectant cleaning Product from Ecolab to be use in
Guest Rooms, Public areas and luggage Storeroom. This product is highly
effective against a wide variety of pathogenic microorganisms including bacteria,
antibiotic resistant bacteria, viruses and fungi.
2. Disinfectant Hand Wash Liquid Soap are also use for all food handlers in all
Kitchens, Stewarding and Public Area’s Rest Room as part of Safety Hygiene
Program
3. Disinfectant alcohol Hand Gels are also available for all restaurants, guest
contact areas, offices and back of the house for guest and staff hand sanitization.
4. Food Safety & Hygiene Program for all food handling sections (i.e. food
Temperature & Storage, shelf Life, Glove, Face mask, Sanitization hand wash)
5. All Supervisors and Sections Team Leaders to closely monitor their team
members physical heaths, any team members who may have develop symptoms
of flu and high fever will be require to see the doctor or obtain medical assistant
and to take bed rest at home until he/she recover and certified by the doctor that
he/she is fit to be back to work.
6. Security Officer at all employee entrance are equipped with High Temperature
Detection Device (Non-contact Infrared Thermometer) and were authorize to
monitor every team members who come to work, if found with High
Temperature/Fever, he/she will be advice to seek medical assistant and stay at
home.
Updated on: 19th June 2015
DUSIT INTERNATIONAL
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------