HEALTH-MERS/SOUTH KOREA NEWSER South Korea reports new MERS case after four-day hiatus

Record ID: 148669

  • Title: HEALTH-MERS/SOUTH KOREA NEWSER South Korea reports new MERS case after four-day hiatus
  • Date: 2nd July 2015
  • Summary: SEJONG, SOUTH KOREA (JULY 2, 2015) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** SOUTH KOREA'S DIRECTOR OF DISEASE PREVENTION CENTER AT KOREA CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, JEONG EUN-KYEONG, STANDING AT PODIUM WITH SOUTH KOREAN ASSISTANT MINISTER OF HEALTHCARE POLICY, KWON DEOK-CHEOL, STANDING NEARBY JOURNALISTS SITTING AT NEWS BRIEFING (SOUNDBITE) (Korea
  • Embargoed: 17th July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA7S7QLE27GXSIZVG3GYUMJYAXO
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: South Korea's health ministry on Thursday (July 2) reported an additional case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) for the first time in five days, bringing the total number of cases to 183.
    "There are no additional deaths but one additional MERS case has been confirmed. With regard to the condition of the MERS patients under treatment, 36 patients are in stable condition, whereas 12 patients are unstable. Our government and medical staff are putting effort into minimising the damage from MERS," said South Korean Director of Disease Prevention Center at Korea Center For Disease Control And Prevention, Jeong Eun-kyeong, said at a daily news briefing.
    As of 0200GMT on Thursday, total 48 patients are undergoing treatment, 102 people have been discharged form hospital and 33 people have died. 443 people were quarantined in hospital while 1,679 were quarantined at home, the ministry said.
    The health ministry also said the new patient was a 24 year-old nurse working at a quarantine ward in Samsung Medical Center.
    "The confirmed case had been caring for patients in a quarantine ward from June and an epidemiological investigation is underway to figure out the routes of infection," Jeong added.
    The ministry said more than 80 of the 183 MERS cases in South Korea have been traced to the Samsung Medical Center, tarnishing the image of one of the country's most prestigious hospitals.
    The heir-apparent of South Korea's massive Samsung Group bowed in apology during a nationally televised address last month for failing to stop the spread of MERS at Samsung Medical Center run by a group foundation.
    Samsung Medical Center have been criticised after it was revealed that a MERS patient had been in its emergency ward for two-and-a-half days before being diagnosed, coming into contact with nearly 900 people, including staff.
    The hospital later suspended most services when an emergency ward orderly tested positive for the virus after working for a number of days despite having symptoms and coming into contact with more than 200 people.
    The outbreak in South Korea has been traced to a 68-year-old man who returned from a trip to the Middle East in early May and sought medical help at different hospitals before being diagnosed with the MERS virus.
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