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MERS virus cases in South Korea climb to 145

The death toll from the virus reached 14 people on Saturday

SEOUL, June 14. /TASS/. Seven new cases of people infected with MERS virus have been reported in South Korea, bringing the total number in the country to 145, the Yonhap news agency has reported.

The death toll from the virus reached 14 people on Saturday. The first case was registered in South Korea on May 20. The virus was brought to the country by its national who came back from a trip to the Middle East countries.

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is a viral respiratory infection caused by the newly identified MERS-coronavirus (MERS-CoV) that is new to humans. It was first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and has since spread to several other countries.

Most MERS-CoV patients develop severe acute respiratory illness, including fever, cough, and trouble breathing. About 3-4 out of every 10 MERS patients die. MERS-CoV is spread through close contact.

South Korea became the second country in the world for the number of MERS cases after Saudi Arabia, where more than 1,000 people have been infected since 2012.