S Korea reports 2 new MERS cases after 4 day hiatus

SEOUL - South Korea on Thursday reported two new cases of the potentially deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome ( MERS) virus, after four days in which no cases were spotted.

It brought to 184 the total number of people diagnosed with MERS in the largest outbreak outside Saudi Arabia.

The latest cases involved two nurses from Seoul's Samsung Medical Center, the health ministry said.

The hospital, which has so far accounted for almost half of all confirmed cases, declared a 10-day suspension of most health services last month to stem the spread of the virus.

As the hospital continued to report new cases, the shutdown was extended indefinitely.

Of the 184 confirmed cases, 33 have died, 102 have been cured and released from hospital and 48 are still being treated, with 12 of them listed as being in critical condition.