CRI听力:S. Korea Discloses 24 MERS-related Hospitals

South Korean Deputy Prime Minister Choi Kyung-hwan held a press conference on Sunday and disclosed the names of the 24 hospitals where MERS infectees tested positive or have passed through.

"The hospital names were made public to secure people's safety. Hospitals should inevitably be controlled strongly because contagions mainly occurred there. We figured out this list including 24 hospitals based on confirmed cases known to the government. We will continue to reach possible contacts so as to prevent transmissions."

It is the first time that South Korean authorities have disclosed the hospitals relevant to MERS infection as the authorities were worried that it may discourage hospitals from treating infectees and people would be reluctant to visit such hospitals.

However, the government hopes that the disclosure will encourage people visiting those hospitals to actively report their past visit to the health authorities, making it easier for the authorities to reach and examine them for possible contagion.

Among the 24 hospitals is Samsung Medical Center in Seoul, which is one of the leading hospitals in the country.

10 people contracted the MERS virus when they stayed at the emergency room of this hospital between May 27 and May 29 together with the 14th patient.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare believes that the total number of infected at Samsung Medical Center has surged to 17, including a doctor suspected of having contact with thousands of unspecified individuals.

Song Jae-Hoon, president of Samsung Medical Center says they have quarantined nearly 900 people exposed to the 14th patient.

"We have confirmed that a total of 893 people, including 218 medical staff and 675 patients and their families, were exposed to the 14th patient from May 27 to May 29 after analyzing CCTV footage during the three-day period. All of them have been put under quarantine"

The 14th infectee was estimated to have transported the MERS virus from the Pyeongtaek St. Mary's Hospital, where the first patient was hospitalized.

The 35-year- old man later traveled to Seoul by bus on May 27 to be hospitalized at the Samsung Medical Center.

The South Korean government has announced a plan to step up monitoring of those under quarantine, including tracking the locations of those quarantined at home via their mobile phones.

In the capital city, education authorities have announced that, starting Monday, they will check every student's temperature.