MERS fears escalate; more cases reported

Public concern evident as growing number of commuters wear face masks

Hundreds more schools closed on Thursday in South Korea as officials struggled to ease growing panic over an outbreak of the MERS virus that has infected 35 people, killed two and caused thousands to cancel travel plans.

More than 700 schools - from kindergartens to colleges - have now shut their gates in response to public fears over what has become the largest outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome outside Saudi Arabia.