South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency says that South Korea has seen 64 cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). That’s the third highest number of cases of any country, following Saudi Arabia with over a thousand cases, and the UAE with 76 cases. The remaining countries reporting MERS infections, only have about 2-3 cases at most.
So why has MERS spread so quickly in South Korea? Initially there were concerns that the virus had mutated. But scientists say that the strand in South Korea is almost identical to the one in the Middle East.
A professor at Korea University who has been studying MERS attributes the quick spread to a number of factors, including the local climate. The professor, surnamed Song, said that MERS thrives in climates that are dry and temperate. He said that the virus does not do well in countries that are very hot and humid.
Other factors which have contributed to the rapid spread of MERS in South Korea include close quarters in hospitals and a slow response by the government to contain the virus.
Song also said that older people with weak immune systems are more susceptible to infection. A total of 15 of the infections in South Korea, and four of the five resulting deaths involved a patient over the age of 65.