South Korean schools reopen despite MERS death toll rising to 19

The death toll continued to mount in South Korea’s MERS outbreak on Tuesday even as schools reopen and people recover from the virus. Nineteen people have died in the largest outbreak of the disease outside the Middle East, with three more dying since Monday, the Health Ministry said. More than 150 have been infected with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and nearly 5,600 have been quarantined. The government says the outbreak is slowing, but there’s still widespread fear and misinformation.

Transmission of infection in schools has not been a feature or an important part of transmission of this virus in this outbreak. On the other hand, the closure of many schools creates tremendous hardship for parents and it also creates a level of fear and concern about schools, which does not reflect, in reality, any danger.

Keiji Fukuda, World Health Organization’s assistant director-general for health security.

MERS belongs to the family of coronaviruses that includes the common cold and SARS, and can cause fever, breathing problems, pneumonia and kidney failure. Most of the fatalities in South Korea have been people suffering from pre-existing medical conditions, such as respiratory problems or cancer. After a week long review of the situation, experts from the World Health Organization and South Korea have downplayed the possibility of the country’s MERS outbreak turning into a pandemic.

World MERS