South Korea Fights Largest MERS Outbreak Outside Middle East

NPR

Published June 5, 2015 at 12:33 PM EDT

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Women wearing face masks walk on a street in Seoul on June 5, 2015. South Korea reported a fourth death from Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), as an infected doctor fueled fears of a fresh surge in cases and prompted Seoul's mayor to declare 'war' on the virus. (Ed Jones/AFP/Getty Images)

Four South Koreans have died and at least 42 have been infected with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). The virus was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012, and a traveler who visited that country is thought to have brought it into South Korea last month.

In Seoul, streets are quiet and surgical masks are flying off the shelves. As NPR’s Elise Hu told Here & Now’s Jeremy Hobson, many South Koreans don’t trust their government to stop the outbreak.

Guest

Elise Hu, international correspondent for NPR, based in Seoul, South Korea. She tweets @elisewho.