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S. Korea declares de facto end to MERS outbreak

July 27, 2015
Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn announces a de facto end to the outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome during a meeting of relevant government officials in Seoul on July 28, 2015. (Yonhap)

Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn announces a de facto end to the outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome during a meeting of relevant government officials in Seoul on July 28, 2015. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, July 28 (Yonhap) — Prime Minster Hwang Kyo-ahn Tuesday declared a de facto end to the outbreak of MERS which has claimed 36 lives in the country since May.

The number of people diagnosed with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome has remained flat at 186 for the past 23 days, with the release of the last suspected patient Monday, indicating a slim chance of the country reporting an additional case.

“After weighing various circumstances, the medical personnel and the government judge that the people can now be free from worry,” Hwang said in a meeting of relevant government officials.

An official end to the outbreak at a scientific and medical level is expected to be made late in August as World Health Organization rules require a 28-day waiting period following the recovery of the last patient, officials said.

“I am sorry to the people for causing worries and discomfort,” Hwang said, asking the people to return to their normal daily lives.

The prime minister also offered an apology for the country’s poor early response to the outbreak of the disease.

The government came under criticism that it had failed to bring the disease under control at an early date since the first outbreak was reported on May 26.

Hwang also vowed to swiftly execute a supplementary budget bill that was passed through the National Assembly on Friday.

After a three-week tug-of-war between the ruling and opposition parties, the parliament gave the nod to the 11.6 trillion won (US$9.9 billion) extra budget to cope with fallout from MERS, which has had a negative impact on Asia’s fourth-largest economy.