by Alex Jensen
SEOUL
Optimism brought about by Friday morning’s announcement of a significant slowdown in South Korean MERS infections was later tempered by news of the viral outbreak’s 11th victim.
The health ministry said that a 72-year-old woman had passed away in North Jeolla province -- hundreds of kilometers south of Seoul and its surrounding area, where most infections have occurred.
Following the addition of just four new cases, the total number rose to 126.
All of the transmissions are believed to have taken place in hospitals, stemming from a man who returned from the Middle East last month.
With nearly 3,700 people still being isolated as suspected MERS cases, local officials have been determined to prevent the virus from spreading through the general population.
Saudi Arabia has been worst hit by the disease since it was first reported there in 2012. South Korea is comfortably second on the list of more than 20 countries affected despite being so new to this potentially deadly strain of coronavirus.
But there are signs that the outbreak’s grip is loosening.
Aside from a dramatic fall in the number of new infections -- having previously risen in increments of over 20 -- Friday marked the first time that there had actually been a drop in the number of people issued with quarantine instructions.
A ban on classes at selected schools in Seoul was also lifted Friday by the local education office.
Acting Prime Minister Choi Kyung-hwan offered further reassurance in the latest of a series of public appearances.
He told foreign diplomats that “there is no doubt that the current MERS situation will be contained.”
Choi’s confidence was backed by a visiting team of experts from the World Health Organization -- whether other countries will demonstrate faith in Seoul remains to be seen.
After Hong Kong and Macau recently advised against all but necessary travel to South Korea, China’s Civil Aviation Administration issued a statement Friday asking airlines to sterilize planes coming out of the stricken nation.
