Story highlights
South Korea has 108 cases of MERS and nine deaths
Ten people released from quarantine in Hong Kong and Guangzhou
Hong Kong issues travel advice to avoid unnecessary travel to South Korea
South Korea is grappling with two battles: the virus itself and the public fear over MERS, one official declared.
The nation has been struck by the largest outbreak of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome outside Saudi Arabia, where the virus was discovered.
And the number of cases grows every day. On Tuesday, South Korea reported that a ninth person had died from MERS and another 13 had contracted the virus, bringing the number of confirmed cases to 108.
Fears of MERS in South Korea are growing by the day, with more than 2,300 people quarantined as the country grapples with the outbreak.
Mainly older patients
The virus has struck mainly adults, with the exception of one 16-year-old boy. And the MERS deaths have been among older adults with pre-existing conditions.
Steps to prevent MERS
The South Korean outbreak, which had its first case on May 20, involved 64 confirmed cases and five deaths as of Saturday evening, the country’s health ministry said. The vast majority of the cases are hospital clusters and the deaths were among people with pre-existing health conditions.
Far from alone
The South Korean outbreak had its first case on May 20. The vast majority of the cases are hospital clusters, and the deaths were among people with pre-existing health conditions.
Experts from the World Health Organization who have dealt with MERS are coming to South Korea to assess the pattern of the virus spread and to look at public health response efforts.
The latest outbreak prompted Hong Kong to issue a travel alert asking residents to avoid unnecessary travel to South Korea.
In Hong Kong on Tuesday, six Koreans were released from quarantine, having passed the 14 day incubation period and tested negative. All six had been on the same airplane flight on May 26.
Also Tuesday, in Guangzhou, in south China, four Koreans from that same flight to Hong Kong, were released from quarantine. Another four people, who attended a conference with someone who had MERS, are scheduled to be released on Wednesday.
As of June 3, 1,179 cases of MERS have been confirmed in 25 countries, according to the World Health Organization. Two of those cases were in the United States – both were health workers who lived in Saudi Arabia.
Two of the cases occurred in the United States in May 2014. Both were health workers who lived in Saudi Arabia.
CNN’s Madison Park contributed to this report.