South Korea on Tuesday reported its first two deaths from an outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) that has infected 25 people in two weeks, according to Reuters.
In addition, South Korea has isolated more than 700 people for possible MERS infection. The country now has the third highest number of cases after Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, according to the European CDC.
The World Health Organization (WHO) puts the total number of cases globally at 1,161, with at least 436 related deaths.
China last week reported its first MERS case after a South Korean man broke a voluntary house quarantine and traveled to Hong Kong and on to mainland China, where he later tested positive for the disease.
The two deaths come on the same day that the World Health Organization issued a MERS outbreak alert for Eastern Asia.
First 2 MERS Deaths Reported in South Korea, 700 Quarantined
