South Korea - Government announces 1 new coronavirus MERS death - total cases = 182, total deaths = 32 - June 28, 2015

[tetano]

South Korea on Sunday reported its 32nd death from MERS as the virus?s mortality rate continued to rise even as the pace of the outbreak appeared to slow.
A 55-year-old man died Saturday of Middle East Respiratory Disease, the health ministry said, putting the latest mortality rate at 17.5 percent.
That is up from 15 percent a week ago and 10 percent two weeks ago, though still lower than World Health Organization figures which put the mortality rate for the disease at around 36 percent.
The man was diagnosed on June 9 after contracting the virus at Samsung Medical Centre in Seoul ? the epicentre of the outbreak where about 90 patients, visitors and medical staff had been infected.
The total number of infections remained unchanged at 182 and fifteen patients were in critical condition, the health ministry said.
A total of 91 patients have recovered and been released from hospital, including one on Saturday, according to the ministry.
As of Sunday, a total of 2,562 people were under quarantine either at state facilities or at home, it added.

http://healthmedicinet.com/south-korea-reports-32nd-mers-death/

[sharon sanders]

Please see our case list for details. link

[Pathfinder]

Posted : 2015-06-28 17:14
Updated : 2015-06-28 22:14

No new MERS cases reported

음성듣기
By Kim Se-jeong
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This is the first time in eight days that no more MERS patients were reported.
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Despite the optimistic signs, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said it was too early to say that the outbreak had peaked.
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Hallym University Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital may potentially become another epicenter like Samsung Medical Center (SMC).

The 173rd patient, a 70-year-old woman, who was treated at Hallym, possibly came into contact with 4,825 people without knowing she was infected, the ministry said. The authorities have put these people under medical surveillance. Among them, 317 are isolated in state-run quarantine facilities.
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The latest death was that of a 55-year-old man, Saturday, who is believed to have contracted the virus from the 14th patient, a super-spreader, in the SMC's emergency room on May 27. He did not suffer lung or respiratory problems but had high blood pressure and diabetes.
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Authorities are looking into how a couple of patients were infected and who they contacted.
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Experts said they now suspect wheelchairs, toilets and toiletries in the hospital as a source of infection, but they reassured that the spread of the virus among the public was unlikely because the infection needed close contact.
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http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2015/06/116_181764.html

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Half of confirmed MERS patients recover

Published : 2015-06-28 16:33
Updated : 2015-06-28 18:02

South Korean health authorities announced Sunday that a total of 91 confirmed Middle East respiratory syndrome patients have been discharged from hospitals, meaning half of all patients have recovered from the virus so far.
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While the outbreak is once again showing signs of slowing -- only three new cases were reported from June 24-27, while 13 cases were confirmed from June 20-23 -- authorities said it is possible that more cases may be identified in the future, especially from the Hallym University Medical Center in Seoul.
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The hospital is where the late 173rd patient had been hospitalized without knowing of her MERS infection. The 70-year-old stayed at the hospital from June 18-24. She died Wednesday, just two days after officially being diagnosed with MERS.

Almost 5,000 people who either stayed at or visited the hospital during the particular period are currently being monitored for possible infection, said Jeong Eun-kyung from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at the Health Ministry.
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?We believe most people were exposed to the 173rd patient from June 20-22,? said Jeong.
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Meanwhile, the newly confirmed death turned out to be the nation?s 104th patient, who was infected by the 14th patient at the emergency room of the Samsung Medical Center in southern Seoul. The 55-year-old was diagnosed with the virus on June 9 and died Saturday. He was also diabetic.
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By Claire Lee (dyc@heraldcorp.com)

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20150628000244