Virus panic
Schools closed to halt outbreak
Seoul — Hundreds of schools closed on June 4 in South Korea as officials struggled to ease growing panic over an outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) that has infected 35 people, killed two and caused thousands to cancel travel plans.
More than 900 schools shut their gates in response to public fears over what has become the largest outbreak of the MERS virus outside Saudi Arabia. Five more cases were confirmed on June 4, bringing the total number of known infections to 35, the health ministry said. — AFP