No new MERS infection reported in S. Korea for 3 days, 1 death added

SEOUL - No new case of infection with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) was reported in South Korea for three days in a row, with one more death being added, the health ministry said Tuesday.

The MERS contagion cases were unchanged at 182 for three straight days, indicating an abating MERS spread in the country since the first case was identified on May 20, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

The death toll, however, increased to 33 as one more death was added. The fatality rate rose to 18.1 percent.

Two patients were discharged from hospitals as they completely recovered after being infected. The total number of those discharged gained to 95, taking up more than half of the combined infectees.

Excluding the dead and those discharged, 54 patients are under treatment. Among them, 13 are still in unstable conditions.

The number of those quarantined reduced from 2,682 on Monday to 2,638 on Tuesday.