AP, Seoul :
Authorities in South Korea temporarily closed two hospitals amid persistent fears over the MERS virus outbreak, which killed an 11th person Friday, though health officials said they are seeing fewer new infections.
More than 120 people in South Korea have been diagnosed with Middle East respiratory syndrome since the country reported its first case last month. The outbreak, the largest outside Saudi Arabia, has been occurring only in hospitals, among patients, family members who visited them and medical staff treating them. Still, it has caused widespread fears and rumors, and about 2,790 schools and kindergartens remained closed Friday.
South Korean officials believe the disease has peaked and it would begin easing in coming days. Their assessment is based on a view that the virus’ maximum two-week incubation period for those infected at a Seoul hospital considered as the main source of the outbreak ended Friday.
However, there are several other hospitals where additional cases were later reported or MERS patients were treated. Their incubation periods have not ended, raising worries that they may become new sources of infections.
Two of the hospitals, Mediheal Hospital in western Seoul and Changwon SK Hospital in the southern city of Changwon, were ordered Thursday to temporarily shut down after MERS patients were found to have contacted hundreds of people there before they tested positive for the virus, according to officials at Seoul and Changwon.
Authorities in South Korea temporarily closed two hospitals amid persistent fears over the MERS virus outbreak, which killed an 11th person Friday, though health officials said they are seeing fewer new infections.
More than 120 people in South Korea have been diagnosed with Middle East respiratory syndrome since the country reported its first case last month. The outbreak, the largest outside Saudi Arabia, has been occurring only in hospitals, among patients, family members who visited them and medical staff treating them. Still, it has caused widespread fears and rumors, and about 2,790 schools and kindergartens remained closed Friday.
South Korean officials believe the disease has peaked and it would begin easing in coming days. Their assessment is based on a view that the virus’ maximum two-week incubation period for those infected at a Seoul hospital considered as the main source of the outbreak ended Friday.
However, there are several other hospitals where additional cases were later reported or MERS patients were treated. Their incubation periods have not ended, raising worries that they may become new sources of infections.
Two of the hospitals, Mediheal Hospital in western Seoul and Changwon SK Hospital in the southern city of Changwon, were ordered Thursday to temporarily shut down after MERS patients were found to have contacted hundreds of people there before they tested positive for the virus, according to officials at Seoul and Changwon.
