Mers outbreak in South Korea: Two further cases in July takes total to 184, including 33 deaths

Last month the WHO said the outbreak of Mers in the country was 'a wakeup call' to the world

Members of staff wear face masks at Kowloon station in Hong Kong on 27 June 2015, after a 17-year-old Korean man with a fever sought medical care at a clinic in the station and has since been isolated in hospital where he is being tested for MERS, accordi (ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP/Getty Images)

Two additional cases of Mers in the Republic of Korea have been confirmed to the World Health Organisation (WHO), taking the total number of cases in the country to 184 to date.

Between 1 and 3 July 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea notified the WHO of 2 additional confirmed cases of Mers.

To date, a total of 184 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (Mers) cases, including 33 deaths, have been reported in the country.

The median age of the cases is 55 years old, ranging between 16 and 87. 60 per cent of cases occurring in men and 26 of the cases are health care professionals.

To date, all cases, excluding the index case, have been linked to a single chain of transmission and are associated with health care facilities.

The government of the Republic of Korea continues to implement intense case and contact management activities.

As of 3 July, 2,067 contacts are being monitored while a total of 14,062 contacts have been released. New contacts continue to be added on a daily basis as they are identified.

The Korean government has also decided to provide advance payments of health insurance for medical institutions that are experiencing financial difficulties due to the current Mers outbreak.

Last month the WHO said the outbreak of Mers in the Republic of Korea was "a wakeup call" and said "in a highly mobile world, all countries should always be prepared for the unanticipated possibility of outbreaks of this, and other serious infectious diseases."

The WHO advises "all Member States to continue their surveillance for acute respiratory infections and to carefully review any unusual patterns.

"Until more is understood about MERS-CoV, people with diabetes, renal failure, chronic lung disease, and immunocompromised persons are considered to be at high risk of severe disease from MERS-CoV infection.

"General hygiene measures, such as regular hand washing, should be adhered to."