South Korea confirms 2 more MERS deaths, 31 in total

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome or coronavirus, or MERS, claimed two more lives on Friday in South Korea, bringing the total number of deaths to 31 since the beginning of the outbreak on May 20.

The new victims are women, aged 70 and 80, who were already suffering from health problems including diabetes, cerebral infarction and cancer.

The South Korean Health Ministry also reported a new case of coronavirus infection, taking the total number of MERS cases to 181.

The latest person to be infected is a doctor at the Samsung Medical Center, the Ministry added.

The health ministry also ordered the indefinite closure of the center, which the hospital had voluntarily agreed to do until Wednesday, as diagnosis of fresh MERS cases continue among its staff, patients and visitors.

Of the 181 infections in the country, 69 are hospitalized and 13 are in critical condition, according to the Ministry.

So far, 81 people have completely recovered from the infection.

At the moment, 2,931 people are in quarantine, 289 more than Thursday.

With the recent deaths, the mortality rate from the disease reaches 17 percent in South Korea.

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