S Korea Shuts Nearly 2,000 Schools As MERS Cases Soar

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South Korean authorities have ordered nearly 2,000 schools closed nationwide to prevent the spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). The health ministry on Monday reported 23 new infections, bringing the total to 87. Six people have so far died in the outbreak, as the government looks for ways to contain the spread. Aljazeera was there:

Jeong Eun-Kyeong from the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention told Al Jazeera that the government is trying to monitor people suspected of being infected after reports that some people were ignoring instructions to isolate themselves.

“We did cellphone tracking in a couple of cases. For those we need to find we will request location tracking and get the data,” Jeong said.  South Korea now has the second highest number of infections in the world after Saudi Arabia, according to statistics from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Reflecting public concern among parents, 1,869 schools across the country are due to be closed on Monday, the education ministry said. The government, under criticism for a lack of transparency and failing to respond swiftly to the outbreak, also said it would track people who may have been in contact with patients through their mobile phones.