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Seoul mayor: Swiftness, transparency, citizen response key in coronavirus crisis

Seoul, Jun 5 (EFE).-Swiftness and transparency, as well as the response of citizens, play key roles in managing the Covid-19 crisis in Seoul, one of the densely populated cities in the world, Mayor Park Won-soon said in an interview with EFE.Park, 64, said that following the outbreak of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2015 in South Korea, especially Seoul, which recorded 103 of the total 183 infections, the city council learned the importance of two basic elements – "speed and transparency". (Camera: ANDRÉS SÁNCHEZ BRAUN).FOOTAGE SHOWS AN INTERVIEW WITH MAYOR OF SEOUL PARK WON-SOON.SOUNDBITES: PARK WON-SOON, MAYOR OF SEOUL (IN KOREAN).TRANSLATIONS: 1.) One of the keys is a rapid response rather than a sluggish response because this is an infectious disease that we were seeing was spreading very fast.2.) Once we confirm the infected person, we immediately disclose the case as well as the ones that happened because of direct contact. We try to test as many people as possible, and disclose the movement of the positive cases to other citizens so they can take precautions.So, there are two keys: are speed and transparency.3.) The greatest success during this COVID-19 pandemic is attributable to our citizens and their mature sense of citizenship. They have cooperated from the beginning, volunteered to be tested (when the outbreak first started) and for those who have been In contact with confirmed cases, they have also voluntarily self-qurantined and have strictly followed health recommendations. 4.) We have a lot of confirmed cases but we have managed to keep the death rate low to almost near zero. I think it's because we managed to defend our hospitals and elderly care centers, such as nursing homes, where there are many vulnerable citizens.