3 New MERS cases in South Korea, Samsung apologises for outbreak in hospital

Three new Middle East Respiratory Syndrome or coronavirus, or MERS, cases were detected in South Korea on Tuesday, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 175 since the disease broke out on May 20.

Two of the three infected people, had already been quarantined.

The cause of the third case is yet unknown, according to the Health Ministry.

The death toll due to the virus remains at 27, the Ministry said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics vice president Lee Jaeyong apologized Tuesday for the high amount of MERS infections at the Samsung Medical Center in Seoul.

“I feel sorry about those who have passed away due to MERS, their bereaved families, the patients and all others who have suffered from the disease. I, myself, feel devastated and fully responsible,” Lee said in a short televised speech on National YTN channel.

Accounting for 81 of the total 175 infections, the Samsung Medical Center has been the main focus of the outbreak, which has generated panic in the country.

The number of people quarantined was reduced Tuesday to 2,805, around a thousand less than Monday.

A total of 13,000 people have been isolated so far, of which 10,718 have been discharged after no MERS symptoms were detected after the 14day incubation period.

Seoul health authorities also reported Tuesday, a pregnant MERS patient gave birth and both mother and child were in good health.

Coronavirus mortality rate in South Korea stands 15.4 percent at the moment.

More than 90 percent of those who succumbed to the disease were old, or were already suffering from serious health problems.

South Korea is the second country, after Saudi Arabia, to record the most number of MERS infections.

Nearly 1,200 coronavirus cases have been detected in the entire world so far.