MERS claims 10th victim as bank acts to curb economic damage
Print Edition
SOUTH Korea reported its 10th MERS death yesterday, while the outbreak of the potentially deadly virus forced the central bank to cut its key interest rate to ward off greater economic damage as retailers reported a slump in business.
In what has become the largest outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome outside Saudi Arabia, a 65-year-old man became the latest fatality after being infected with the virus while receiving treatment for lung cancer at a hospital.
Seoul also reported 14 new cases, including the first infection of a pregnant woman. The new diagnoses brought to 122 the total number of confirmed cases in the country, the health ministry said.
Businesses including shopping malls, restaurants and cinemas have reported a sharp drop in sales as people shun public venues with large crowds.
Bank of Korea governor Lee Ju-yeol said slowing exports and threats to business from MERS were central to the decision to cut its benchmark rate by a quarter percentage point, to a record low of 1.5 percent.
“The full impact of the outbreak still remains uncertain but we thought it was desirable to act pre-emptively to curb its negative impact on ... the economy,” Lee said.
In a statement, the central bank added: “In particular, we are concerned that economic and consumer sentiment, which had been improving, will worsen rapidly because of the MERS crisis.”
The bank has slashed its forecast for this year’s growth twice already, from 3.9 percent to 3.4 percent in January and again to 3.1 percent in April.
More than 54,000 foreign tourists have canceled trips to South Korea so far this month, according to the Korea Tourism Board.
Hong Kong has issued a “red” alert warning against non-essential travel to South Korea although Seoul says World Health Organization guidelines do not warrant such action.
Taiwan raised its travel advisory level for South Korea but stopped short of warning against going. Other governments in Asia are urging caution but none has gone as far as Hong Kong.
Residents in the Chinese city are particularly sensitive after an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome killed 299 people in the city in 2003.
Of the 14 new cases, eight were infected at the Samsung Medical Center in Seoul, a major hospital where 55 people have contracted the virus.
A 39-year-old pregnant woman was among those confirmed to have acquired the virus there.
Another victim contracted the virus at a hospital in Hwaseong, 40 kilometers south of Seoul, while the five other cases are under investigation.
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