WHO chief praises South Korea's response to MERS

The head of the World Health Organization praised South Korean officials and medical workers for keeping Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) contained to just a few hospitals, but cautioned that because not much is known about the virus, they must remain vigilant.

"After a slow start, the government put in place one of the strongest responses I've seen," Margaret Chan said during a news conference Thursday. The outbreak began about a month ago, when a 68-year-old man brought MERS back to South Korea after visiting the Middle East. More than 160 people have fallen ill and 24 have died; most of those who have passed away had preexisting conditions like cancer or respiratory issues. On Wednesday, WHO said that the outbreak in South Korea was not a global emergency, and on Thursday, Thailand confirmed its first case of MERS: A 75-year-old man who went to Oman to treat his heart condition.

Critics, including Seoul's mayor, Park Won-soon, say that officials did not secure Seoul's Samsung Medical Center fast enough, allowing MERS to spread among patients, visitors, and staff, including a doctor, nurse, ambulance driver, and X-ray technician, The Associated Press reports. The ambulance driver, for example, picked up dozens of patients and commuted on the subway, and officials are now monitoring the health of 3,000 people who interacted with him.

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