'Excessive' public alarm as S. Korea reports 16th MERS death

Seoul

 South Korea yesterday reported its 16th death in an expanding MERS outbreak, as President Park Geun-Hye called for efforts to shore up the economy against what she called "excessive" public alarm.

 Seoul also declared five new patients, bringing the total number of cases, including the deaths to 150, as fears grew over the impact of the outbreak on Asia's fourth-largest economy.

 Meanwhile, more than 2,000 schools, which had been closed nationwide, reopened yesterday as the outbreak showed signs of slowing, the education ministry said, adding 329 schools and 126 kindergartens were still shut.

 Park urged efforts to minimise the damage to the economy, saying consumer spending had dipped and the number of foreign tourists had plunged.

 "I am afraid the unexpected outbreak of MERS will quash the momentum of economic recovery," she told a meeting with advisers. 

 "It is important to prevent the spread of excessive public anxiety and allow normal economic activities to resume quickly."

 A 58-year-old man who had been suffering from diabetes was the latest victim of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, which broke out in South Korea less than a month ago.

 The five new patients, aged from 39 to 84, were infected in hospitals in cities including Seoul and Daejeon, 140 kilometres (90 miles) south of the capital.

 The hospital is the epicentre of the outbreak and more than 70 patients, visitors and medical staff there have contracted the virus.