South Korea declares official end to deadly MERS outbreak

South Korea has declared the official end to a deadly outbreak of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in the Asian country.

South Korea’s Health Ministry said on Wednesday that there would be no more risk of MERS in the country which has killed 36 people since it first emerged in May.

The announcement follows the World Health Organization’s guidelines that say an official end to the transmission of the disease can be announced 28 days after the death of the last infected patient.

The maximum incubation period for MERS is 14 days, but it is extended to 28 days for extra precaution.

The last patient to be diagnosed with the virus was a 35-year-old man who died on November 25 because of the “rapid worsening of his underlying condition.” He had been receiving cancer treatment before being infected by MERS.