By Kim Se-jeong
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Wednesday that Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) patient zero has been released from hospital.
His release came 129 days after he was confirmed to have the disease at Samsung Medical Center in late May.
According to the ministry, the 68-year-old man was told he could go home on Sept. 25 after having tested negative for the deadly virus and completing a series of other treatments and counseling sessions at the National Medical Center.
The first patient showed symptoms of fever and coughing after returning from a business trip to Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. His condition was confirmed on May 20.
The man sought medical treatment at three hospitals over nine days, including St. Mary Hospital in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, where he infected dozens of people including his wife.
The man slowly recovered and after testing negative on June 29 he was moved from an isolation ward to an ordinary ward. Since then he received treatment for complications and psychiatric counseling.
In an earlier interview with a local broadcaster in July, he said, “I thank the doctors for saving my life.”
In the meantime, another patient who had kept testing positive until recently tested negative Thursday, the ministry said.
It means Korea will be able to declare the official end of the outbreak 28 days later, twice the incubation period of the disease. Earlier in July, the government declared a de facto end of it as no new cases took place.
A total of 186 people became infected with MERS and 36 died.
The outbreak revealed the government’s poor system of dealing with infectious diseases and poor communication with the public. Health Minister Moon Hyung-pyo resigned after the outbreak was contained and the government announced a major reform plan, including the establishment of a new institute to overlook the outbreak of viruses, if and when they occur.