SEOUL: Infections with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) abated in South Korea as four more cases were added on Tuesday, while three more deaths were reported.
By far, the viral respiratory illness has killed 19 people and infected 154 people in South Korea.
However, the health ministry is confident that the MERS outbreak in South Korea will end in late June unless any “super spreader” emerges further.
China, US scientists develop anti-body
Chinese and American scientists have jointly developed a new antibody against the MERS virus.
Fudan University, which worked with U.S. National Institutes of Health to develop the antibody, said on Monday that tests on animals had yielded “very effective” results.
Jiang Shibo, who led the research team at Fudan, said the m336 antibody could neutralize MERS virus more effectively than other antibodies.
He said the m336 antibody treatment has proved more effective when coupled with a specific type of polypeptide.
Zhong Nanshan, a renowned Chinese respiratory expert, has called for an immediate clinical trial.
