The South Korean government says the outbreak of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, or MERS virus in the country is now over.
South Korean Prime Minster Hwang Kyo-ahn declared a de-facto end to the outbreak during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. The announcement comes after no additional MERS cases were reported in South Korea for more than three weeks. According to the health ministry, the number of diagnosed patients now stands at 186, with 36 fatalities since May. The Prime Minister said that with the outbreak over, people can be less anxious and return to their daily routines without fear.