No MERS infection reported in S.Korea, no death for 1 week

SEOUL-- No case of infection with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) was reported in South Korea Tuesday for two straight days, with no death being identified for one week, the health ministry said.

The total MERS infection cases were unchanged at 186 for two days in a row, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

The spread of the deadly viral disease recently showed signs of abating. Only one case was added for four days to Sunday. No case was reported for four days through July 1.

The South Korean government planned to declare an end to the MERS spread if 28 days, or twice the 14 days of incubation period, pass by without any case of MERS infection reported.

No death was reported for a week, leaving the death toll at 33 and the fatality rate at 17.7 percent.

One more patient was discharged from a hospital as he completely recovered after being infected. The discharge number increased to 118.

Excluding the dead and those discharged, 35 patients are under treatment. Among them, only 9 are in unstable conditions.

The number of those quarantined reduced from 907 on Monday to 674 on Tuesday.