S. Korea reports two more MERS deaths

South Korea on Thursday reported two more deaths from its MERS outbreak and one more new case, bringing the total fatalities from the deadly virus to 29.

The two fatalities from Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) included a 65-year-old man who contracted the virus at a hospital at the central city of Daejon. He was diagnosed on June 6, the health ministry said.

The other was a 70-year-old woman who was a relative of another infected patient. She was diagnosed on June 22.

Since the first patient was diagnosed on May 20, a total of 180 cases have been confirmed in the outbreak, the largest outside Saudi Arabia.

Of them, 29 have died, 74 have recovered and 77 are still being treated, including 15 who are in critical condition.

The number of people in quarantine meanwhile fell by more than a sixth from the previous day to 2,642.

© 2015 AFP