After epidemics such as SARS, Bird-flu, Swine-flu and Ebola, there has been another new outbreak. This time it has hit Korea, and it is known as MERS.
MERS is better known as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus. About 2 weeks ago, a patient of the virus was found in China. The virus causes respiratory illness that is relatively new to human beings.
In the year 2012, Saudi Arabia reported its first case of MERS. Dr. Ali Mohamed Zaki an Egyptian virologist first identified the virus. As of now, the virus has possibly hit South Korea in a big way. About 1,300 people have been quarantined in suspicion of suffering from the contagion of this disease.
Also, 200 primary schools have been closed in hopes of stopping any further spread of the disease. At this point, approximately 30 people have already been affected by the virus.
The virus was brought into South Korea from a man of 68 who went on a 16 day long business trip to the Middle-East on the 20th of May. What has alarmed people is how quickly the disease has spread already.
For some of the cases, the virus apparently spread within 5 minutes of exposure to the first victim. Hopefully, the situation is brought under control quickly.
