GWANGJU - The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) situation is under control in South Korea, said a medical official of the International University Sports Federation (FISU) here on Thursday.

"I think most of you in the room know that we can say the MERS situation is controlled in South Korea, and we believe we have basically zero risk for the people of Gwangju and for the people in the athletes' village," Larry Rink, the medical committee chair of FISU, told a press confenence on the eve of the openning of the 2015 Universiade.

Rink stressed that FISU will cooperate with the Gwangju Universiade Organizing Committee (GUOC) to try their best to make the event safe.

"I will assure you that with the cooperation of the city of Gwangju and health officials with the local organizing committee, we will continue to be vigilant," he said.

According to GUOC, all the volunteers and workers inside the athletes' village have been checked for the possibility of a MERS infection and none has been detected so far.

The Universiade, held every two years and organized by FISU, is a multi-sport event for university athletes and often serves as a stage for future Olympic stars.

The 2015 Gwangju Summer Universiade will kick off on Friday with around 13,000 athletes from 147 countries and regions competing in 21 sports at 38 venues.