Doctors Confirm 3 More Cases of MERS in S. Korea, 18 Total

[Millennium]

Doctors Confirm 3 More Cases of MERS in S. Korea, 18 Total

2015-06-01 08:46:52 Update : 2015-06-01 09:21:13

Doctors have confirmed three more cases of MERS, or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, in South Korea bringing the total number of cases as of Monday to 18.

Health authorities said the latest three cases were all infected after staying in the same hospital ward as the initial patient between May 15 and 17.

One is a man in his 40s and another is a woman in her 70s. The third, a man in his 40s, is the son of a patient who had been hospitalized.

As a result, 15 people who were in the same hospital as the initial patient have now been infected with MERS.

To prevent additional infections, health authorities plan to quarantine and observe senior citizens and those with chronic diseases such as diabetes who came into contact with infected patients.

Meanwhile, final tests results for a soldier, who was quarantined after being in contact with a MERS patient during leave, came back negative.