S Korea reports 3 MERS deaths as new cases fall

AFP, Seoul :
South Korea on Tuesday reported three more fatalities from the MERS outbreak but health authorities said they were cautiously optimistic the worst was over as the number of new cases was falling.
Four new cases were confirmed Tuesday, bringing to 154 the total number of confirmed cases with 19 deaths in what has become the largest outbreak of the virus outside Saudi Arabia.
Of the 154 people, 17 were cured and released from hospital, the health ministry said.
The number of new cases has been gradually declining from 12 on Friday to four on Tuesday, sparking hopes that the outbreak might be showing early signs of easing. “What is noteworthy is the fact that the number of new cases has been falling over the past few days” a senior health ministry official told journalists.
“More cases are expected to occur sporadically but we don’t expect to see new cases occur in groups,” he said.
Of the 118 being treated, 16 are listed in unstable condition while most of the fatalities had pre-existing health problems.
A 49-year-old man was the youngest to die from the respiratory illness but the ministry said he had been suffering from liver cirrhosis and diabetes.