MERS labelled as "large and complex"
Calling the MERS outbreak 'large and complex', the WHO said that more cases were being expected. The outbreak reached an elementary school through Alex Jenson, a 7 year old who is the most recent to be infected by the disease. Since its onset on 20 May, the MERS outbreak has claimed 14 lives of the 138 infected.
The Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus first emerged in Saudi Arabia and spread to Europe, North Africa, Southeast Asia, the United States and Middle East in April 2012. However, it was contained to Middle East by 2013. 688 cases were reported from 24 countries, with the death count reaching 282. The MERS virus is known to have spread from camels to humans.
2 people have died and more than 20 have been infected with the MERS virus in South Korea; atleast hundreds more are in quarantine. President Park Geun-Hye came under fire for letting a disease that was being contained to Middle East reach South Korea Around 700 people have been isolated and the government is thinking of applying possible travel bans to contain the virus.
The first patient to be diagnosed with MERS had gone to 4 different hospitals before his illness was confirmed, leaving a trail of infection. The Korean authorities have been reprimanded for transferring patients from one facility to another, causing more infections. Further, Korean officials were asked to be transparent about sharing the data so that a state of panic could be avoided.
The number of South Koreans infected with MERS increased to 87 and the number of fatalities have reached 6. The Hong Kong health authorities went from response level "alert" to "serious" due to which its ports of entry will exert stricter arrival controls. 1,160 kindergartens and schools in South Korea have been temporarily closed due to the fear of MERS.
The death toll reached 9 people in the 3rd week of the MERS outbreak, and the number of infected cases stood at 122. 641 people of the 3800 in quarantine were released after being tested negative. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye canceled her visit to the United States to handle the outbreak.
Thousands of people from Hong Kong and Macau cancelled their trips to Korea; in China there was a 70% drop in Korea trips due to MERS fear.
