Agencies, Seoul :
Hong Kong and Macau have issued warnings against travel to South Korea where a seventh person has died from Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and another eight new cases have been reported overnight.
The latest cases have brought the total number of people infected to 95, making the South Korean outbreak the biggest outside Saudi Arabia, where the disease was first identified.
Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s second highest official, announced on Tuesday the country would issue a “red alert” against non-essential travel to South Korea.
A red alert is defined as a “significant threat” according to the Hong Kong government, and means people should “adjust travel plans” and “avoid non-essential travel”.
The Chinese territory of Macau also advised residents to avoid travel to South Korea unless absolutely necessary, and said it would require people entering local healthcare facilities to wear masks as a precaution against MERS.
WHO begins mission
Al Jazeera’s Harry Fawcett, reporting from Seoul, said the latest victim was typical of many of the people affected by the virus and had presented at a Seoul hospital.
