The death toll from Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, or MERS, in South Korea reached 20 Wednesday, a media report said, according to dpa. The Ministry of Health and Welfare said almost 90 per cent of those who died had existing health problems that MERS appeared to make worse, Yonhap News Agency reported. The 20th victim suffered from high blood pressure and an existing respiratory problem. The number of cases has increased by eight to 162, the ministry said. Four of the new infections were linked to the Samsung Medical Hospital in Seoul, which has been blamed for almost half of MERS transmissions in South Korea, the report said.
