MERS outbreak prompts Hong Kong to warn tourists from visiting Korea

Hong Kong is warning residents to avoid South Korea amid MERS outbreak

(Image credit: Reuters/YouTube)

On Tuesday, South Korea reported eight new cases of Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), bringing the total number of cases to 95, including seven deaths. The outbreak has been traced back to a 68-year-old man who caught the virus in the Middle East and was misdiagnosed back home, traveling to several hospitals and spreading the disease. Citing the outbreak, Hong Kong issued a "red alert," discouraging residents from traveling to Korea because of "significant threat."

South Korea and the World Health Organization have formed a joint task force to quash the outbreak and study how it spreads. The WHO said Korea's aggressive response has been good and getting better, and it has not issued any travel advisory of its own. Koreans, though, are avoiding public gatherings to avoid getting infected. "We are fighting two wars," said Nam Kyung-pil, governor of the province that encircles Seoul: "The war against the disease and the war against fear." You can watch a Reuters update on Korea's MERS outbreak below. Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.