SEOUL—
Concerns over a dangerous respiratory illness have led South Korean health authorities to isolate more than 680 people who may have been exposed. China and Hong Kong also are taking steps to halt the spread of MERS, or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, which has killed hundreds of people in that region since its emergence in 2012.

As of Monday, South Korea had reported at least 17 confirmed cases, the largest outbreak outside of the Middle East.

Hong Kong also has quarantined 18 people and isolated 17 more. And China’s Guangdong province, with one confirmed case of MERS, has isolated nearly 80 people.
http://www.voanews.com/content/mers-...s/2802985.html

(CNN) - Two MERS patients have died in South Korea, marking the first deaths from an outbreak of the dreaded respiratory virus in the country, officials said.

The victims included a 58-year-old woman and a 71-year-old man who both had contact with the country's first MERS patient, South Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare said.

So far, there have been 25 confirmed cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome in South Korea, including the two dead patients.

Officials are recommending the government temporarily ban people exposed to MERS from leaving the country to prevent the virus from spreading, said Kwon Jun-wook, a Health Ministry official.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/01/world/south-korea-mers/