East Asia is better prepared for Ebola than the West
East Asia, with its trade and transport hubs and armies of migrant workers, is at risk from Ebola but is improving its defences and may be more ready than other areas to respond if cases are diagnosed, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said.
Shin Young-soo, the WHO regional director for the Western Pacific, said on Friday East Asia had been a "hotspot" for emerging diseases in the past and had dealt with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and avian flu, so it was more prepared than other regions to respond after learning the importance of public education, strong surveillance and transparency.
Shin said member countries were putting up strong infrastructure preparedness for Ebola and each had an emergency operating centre linked to the regional office in Manila and the WHO headquarters in Geneva.
"All these travel, economic trade, and we have global hubs like Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Philippines is sending a lot of work forces all over the world," make it a possibility for the virus to reach East Asia, Shin said. But "we are in a better shape than other regions," he added
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2014/10/who-says-east-asia-at-risk-ebola-20141010123924783609.html