South Korea announced on Tuesday the end of the MERS-CoV coronavirus epidemic which killed 36 people and seriously affected the 4th largest economy on the Asian continent.
After the time of panic comes the time of appeasement. South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn on Tuesday announced the end of the epidemic caused by the novel coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in South Korea.
The number of patients with this respiratory syndrome originating in the Middle East remained unchanged at 186 and the country reported no new cases for the 23rd consecutive day.
Reassuring announcements for the population
“After assessing the situation, the medical staff and the government believe that the population no longer has to worry,” said the head of the South Korean government in comments reported by the South Korean news agency. Yonhap.
“I ask the public to forget any concerns about MERS-CoV and to resume their daily activities, including their economic, cultural, sporting and educational activities,” he added during a small council of ministers organized in Seoul.
A cut economy
In the end, 36 people died in the country as a result of this disease for which there is no treatment or vaccine.
Another downside, the epidemic has weighed heavily on the growth of this country of nearly 50 million inhabitants, putting a brake on consumption. Shops, including malls, restaurants and cinemas, saw a sharp drop in sales with more Koreans seeking to avoid public places for fear of being contaminated.
For this reason, the government recently pledged 22 trillion won (€ 17.8 billion) in aid to revitalize the economy. And the central bank kept its interest rate at the exceptionally low level of 1.5%.
The tourism sector was particularly affected, with a 40% drop in the number of visitors in June, compared to June 2014, and a 60% drop in the first two weeks of July.
Two suspected cases in the north of England
And since one good news does not necessarily lead to another, the epidemic has not completely disappeared from the face of the globe. A hospital in Manchester, in the north of England, has in fact just closed its emergencies on Tuesday “until further notice”, because of two suspected cases of coronavirus.
“The 2 patients have been placed in isolation and are undergoing clinical examinations,” said the Manchester Royal Infirmary. In the meantime, “the emergencies will remain closed until further notice,” said a spokesperson. “We want to reassure our patients and the general public that the incident does not represent a significant risk to the health of the public,” he added.
As a reminder, MERS-CoV was last diagnosed in a person in Great Britain in February 2013. Globally, the WHO has identified 1,368 laboratory-confirmed cases since September 2012, including at least 490 fatalities. . The vast majority of deaths have been recorded in Saudi Arabia.
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