The Korea Herald

피터빈트

S. Korea reports additional case of MERS, no fatalities

By KH디지털2

Published : July 3, 2015 - 10:40

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South Korea reported an additional case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Friday, bringing the total number of people diagnosed with the disease to 184.

But no fatalities have been reported over the past three days, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

The country's death toll from the viral respiratory disease stands at 33.

The latest case involved a nurse from Seoul's Samsung Medical Center, which has been responsible for nearly half of all infections here since the country reported its first case on May 20.

The hospital is currently shut down indefinitely.

Out of 184 people diagnosed with MERS so far, 42 still remain hospitalized while 12 of them are in critical condition, according to ministry officials.

So far, 109 have been discharged following complete recoveries.

Still, 2,067 others remain in isolation as of Friday for possible infection after coming in close contact with MERS patients. The number dropped from 2,238 on the previous day.

Over 16,000 people have been subject to isolation as suspected cases so far while some 14,000 of them have been released after they showed no symptoms of MERS for the known maximum incubation period of 14 days for the disease.

MERS is a viral respiratory disease first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. The fatality rate of the disease had been tallied at over 40 percent until the outbreak here as there is no vaccine or treatment for the disease.

In South Korea, the fatality rate of the disease remains at around 18 percent. (Yonhap)