Business as usual for Singapore travel agencies despite Korea MERS outbreak

South Korea reported more cases of MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) early Wednesday morning, bringing the total number of infected cases in the country to 30. This comes a day after the country reported its first deaths from the MERS virus, as the country battles the largest outbreak of the virus outside of the Middle East.

However, in Singapore, local travel agencies Yahoo! Singapore spoke to say it is business as normal, with flight packages to the country still being offered to customers.

Speaking to Yahoo! Singapore, CTC Travel said that they would not be cancelling any of their scheduled tours. Fellow agencies SA Tours and Chan Brothers Travel also expressed similar decisions.

All three agencies are expected to lead group tours to South Korea this month, with CTC Travel still accepting online bookings throughout the month of June.

Representatives from the Ministry of Health confirmed to Yahoo! Singapore that they advise Singaporeans returning from the affected countries to seek medical attention immediately if they experience cough, fever, or shortness of breath.

MOH also stated that the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority of Singapore (ICA) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) would be monitoring passenger arrivals at Changi Airport.

South Korean health authorities confirmed Tuesday that a 58-year-old woman and a 71-year-old man have died from the virus, which spreads through close contact, on Monday and Tuesday respectively.

Both of the deceased had shared a hospital ward with a 68-year-old man, who returned to South Korea with the virus on May 4 after travelling to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

Outside of South Korea, China reported its first MERS case last week. An infected South Korean man had broken a voluntary house quarantine, flying to Hong Kong and travelling to mainland China by bus before being taken to hospital.

Amid fears of virus transmission, some overseas groups have begun cancelling trips to South Korea. According to Yonhap news agency, a group of 300 Chinese would-be tourists have cancelled a visit originally scheduled for this week.

The June and December holiday seasons are considered to be the two most lucrative periods for travel agencies in Singapore. With schools out on holiday, families with children choose to head overseas on vacation during these two months.