메르스 신규환자 2주째 '제로'…평택 경찰환자 퇴원

By KH디지털2

Published : Jul 19, 2015 - 09:27 Updated : Jul 19, 2015 - 18:06

보건복지부 중앙메르스관리대책본부는 19일 중동호흡기증후군(메르스) 환자와 사망자가 신규로 발생하지 않았다고 밝혔다.

발표일 기준으로 신규 환자는 지난 6일 이후 14일째, 사망자는 12일 이후 8일째 나오지 않았다. 누계 환자수는 186명, 총 사망자는 36명을 각각 유지했다.

앞서 완치 판정을 받았던 119번 환자(35)가 퇴원하면서 메르스에 걸렸다가 완치 판정을 받아 사회로 복귀한 사람은 모두 136명이 됐다.

평택 지역 경찰관인 119번 환자는 메르스 감염 경로가 명확하지 않은 환자다.

한때 상태가 위독한 적도 있었지만 체외막산소화장치(에크모) 치료와 완치자의 혈청을 투여하는 치료 등을 거친 끝에 지난 6일 완치 판정을 받았었다. 이후 음압병 실에서 일반병실로 옮겨져 재활 치료 등을 받아왔다.

이 환자의 퇴원으로 메르스 환자 중 완치자와 사망자를 빼고 현재 치료 중인 환 자는 14명으로 줄었다. 이 중 11명은 상태가 안정적이지만 3명은 불안정한 상태를 보이고 있다.

한편 30명이 격리에서 풀려나며 격리해제자는 모두 1만6천625명이 됐다. 격리자 수 역시 전날 98명에서 68명으로 줄었다.

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S. Korea reports no new MERS cases for 14th day

South Korea reported no additional cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome for the 14th straight day on Sunday, with no fatalities occurring for eight days, the health ministry said.

The number of people diagnosed with MERS in the country remained unchanged at 186 with the death toll also staying flat at 36, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

As of Sunday, there were 68 people in isolation as suspected cases following possible exposure to the MERS coronavirus, down from 98 people the day before, it said.

Since the country reported its first case on May 20, nearly 16,700 people have been subject to isolation for possible infection. So far, 16,625 of them have been released after showing no symptoms of MERS for more than the known maximum incubation period of 14 days for the disease.

Out of those diagnosed with MERS, 136 have been discharged from hospitals following complete recoveries, up one compared to the day before, with the discharge of a 35-year-old patient.

The remaining 14 were receiving treatment in hospitals, with three of them in unstable condition, according to the ministry.

MERS is a viral respiratory disease that is still fairly new to humans. The disease has claimed over 530 lives globally, posting a fatality rate of over 36 percent.

In South Korea, the fatality rate stands at 19.4 percent, with most of the people succumbing to the illness having had underlying medical conditions. The ministry said 91.7 percent of the people who died were being treated for cancer or had serious heart, lung or kidney conditions.

There currently is no vaccine or treatment for the disease that was first reported in 2012 in Saudi Arabia. (Yonhap)