South Korea reports 2 more MERS deaths with 3 new cases

South Korea reported two more deaths from Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) Monday, with three new cases, bringing the total number of people diagnosed with the disease here to 169, Yonhap news agency reported Friday.

The new cases, including a patient from Seoul's Samsung Medical Center, came from among those who were already suspected of infection after coming in close contact with MERS patients, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

The ministry maintains that no community transmission of the disease has occurred here with nearly all transmissions taking place in hospitals.

As of Monday, the number of people in isolation for suspected cases came to 3,833, down from 4,035 on the previous day. So far, some 9,300 people have been released from isolation after they showed no symptoms of MERS for more than the known maximum incubation period of 14 days for the disease.