Readings MERS Shows No Signs of Abating / The Chosun Ilbo

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MERS Shows No Signs of Abating

Health officials continue to battle Middle East Respiratory Syndrome as some people who came into contact with infected carriers fan out unknowingly across the country.

The number of new infections has come to a halt at St. Mary's Hospital in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, where the first confirmed case of MERS was reported, but Samsung Medical Center in southern Seoul remains a new source of new transmissions as the busy hospital handled huge numbers of patients every day.

Twelve hospitals had been singled out as sources of MERS infections. But people who came into contact with infected patients spread out across the nation, raising the number of MERS epicenters to 67, including 25 in Gyeonggi Province, 22 in Seoul, five in Busan, Daejeon, Chungchung and Jeolla provinces and three in North and South Gyeongsang provinces and Gangwon Province.

Possible infections continue to be traced to Samsung Medical Center, and given the maximum 23-day latency period, additional cases may continue to pop up until at least late this month, according to health officials.

Meanwhile, as of Tuesday morning confirmed cases of MERS rose to 154, and the number of deaths reached 19, including four who did not suffer from any chronic diseases. More than 5,500 people have been quarantined.

englishnews@chosun.com / Jun. 16, 2015 10:49 KST