Singapore: In a bid to prevent the deadly MERS virus from entering its borders, the Taipei Public Health Department (TPHD) has issued guidance to the management of 488 hotel and concert venues on how to best meet the needs and health requirements of recently arriving South Korean tourists.

Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said that it is keeping close tabs on the MERS scare in South Korea and will adjust its contingency measures as necessary. Taiwan health officials had recently organized a drill for healthcare workers to ensure timely admittance and treatment of cases.

Health Minister Mr Chiang Been-huang said Taiwan remains on guard against MERS and has stepped up border controls and increased inventories of surgical masks and other necessary items.

Authorities further stated that according to disease prevention legislation, if a traveler appears to demonstrate symptoms yet fails to inform authorities they can incur a fine of between NT$60,000 to NT$300,000, even if upon testing they are cleared of actually having MERS.