South Korea turned against MERS

Yonhap on May 31 quoted South Korean Health Minister Moon Hyung-pyo to announce a 14-day quarantine plan for people at high risk of infection after exposure to patients infected with the Middle East respiratory syndrome. (MERS).

15 Koreans are infected with MERS

This is a measure to prevent the spread of the epidemic while the country has confirmed two more cases, bringing the total number of patients with MERS to 15.

Picture 1 of South Korea turned against MERS
South Korea stands up to deal with MERS - photo 1The total number of confirmed MERS cases in Korea is currently 15 - (Artwork: AFP)

Seoul will set up a special response team to bring together leading experts to closely monitor the situation and respond quickly when needed. The first MERS case discovered in South Korea on May 20 was a 68-year-old male patient who had just returned from Saudi Arabia . All other cases in Korea are relatives or contacts of this patient.

Over the weekend, China also confirmed a male patient with MERS from Korea. According to AFP, the virus that causes MERS is the 'cousin ' of the virus that causes SARS , which killed nearly 800 people in the period of November 2002 - July 2003, but the ability to spread is less.