South Korea MERS Virus Outbreak 2015 Death Toll & Updates: WHO Praises Efforts of SK Officials & Health Workers

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The World Health Organization has praised South Korean officials and health care workers for continuously containing the MERS virus and lowering the risk of infection for the wider community.

A statement released by the international organization on its official website reads: "... the Committee noted that after the outbreak was detected, and after a period of organization, the Republic of Korea has strongly initiated actions to bring this outbreak under control..."

The statement goes on to say: "This includes use of multiple approaches to identify contacts and to ensure their appropriate quarantine and monitoring, as well as effective means to stop inappropriate travel of cases and contacts during the period of time when they are potentially infectious..."

According to the New York Times, Margaret Chan, the Director-General of WHO, claims that it is a good sign that the virus has been successfully confined within health care facilities in South Korea.

However, she cautions that not a lot is known about the MERS virus. As a result, there is a need to reinforce monitoring and quarantine efforts.

The Week reports that over 160 people have been infected by the virus, while 24 have passed away due to MERS infection. The victims who have passed away were already suffering from conditions like cancer and respiratory issues before contracting the virus.

While WHO has commended South Korean officials and health workers about their efforts toward containing the virus, there are some who believe that their efforts came a bit too late.

One such critic is Seoul's mayor, Park Won-soon, who believes that officials did not address the MERS outbreak spreading from Seoul's Samsung Medical Center fast enough.

Due to the sluggish reaction of the government, Park believes that officials actually accelerated the spread of the virus in South Korea.

According to the New York Times, the Samsung Medical Center was closed down over the weekend, but several of the hospital staff have already been infected by the virus including: a doctor, a nurse, an X-ray-technician and an ambulance worker.

Jacob Lee, from the infectious disease department at Seoul's Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, says exposure of the virus at Samsung hospital may be responsible for a second wave of MERS infection.

As it is, Government officials are currently monitoring 3,000 people who may have been in contact with the Samsung ambulance worker, who may have infected dozens of people before being diagnosed with the virus. 

WHO released a statement on Wednesday saying that the South Korean MERS outbreak will not be declared a global emergency, a day before a 75-years-old man was diagnosed with the virus in Thailand.