In South Korea, widespread panic ensued as the country experienced its first two deaths by Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) infection on Tuesday. In the last two weeks, 25 people had already been infected by the virus.

The current outbreak is known to be the largest one to occur outside of the Middle East. 

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One victim, a 58-year-old woman, died yesterday after she was tested positive for MERS, according to the health ministry. The other victim, a 71-year-old man, died on Tuesday. He had been infected by the virus a couple of days ago.

Since news of the MERS outbreak spread, South Korea has been in a panic, according to The Daily Mail.

In fact, there has been a 700 percent increase in face mask sales over the weekend, said online retailers. On Tuesday, pharmaceutical firms' stocks in the Seoul market reportedly galloped above their daily limit of 15 percent. However, market shares of airline and travel operators went down.

On Monday night, six South Koreans were added to the list of those infected by MERS, according to the ministry. This makes the total of MERS-infected individuals in South Korea to 25, including the two who died. 

Three patients remain in critical condition, and almost 750 people exposed to the virus have been put under quarantine. In addition, 240 people are already banned from travel, and more are expected to be placed under quarantine.

The last case of MERS was last year when a man in Malaysia died from the virus in April. This was the only fatal MERS case in the continent.

According to the World Health Organization, there are a total of 1,154 MERS cases worldwide. At least 434 of those infected died from the virus, reported Reuters.

MERS was first found in humans in 2012, and so far, the death rate has been 38 percent. Elderly patients, as well as those with respiratory and renal illnesses, are reportedly at greater risk of infection.

Cases of MERS had mostly been in Saudi Arabia, with the virus belonging to the family of SARS. Once infected, it can result to extreme fever, pneumonia, kidney failure, and breathing difficulties, according to The Associated Press.

"We are tracking down additional cases (of tertiary infection) . . . with the possibility of more new infections in mind," according to Kwon Jun-Wook, a senior official from the health ministry and currently the head of an emergency task force team.

Health Minister Moon Hyung-Pyo also made a public appeal, asking anyone under voluntary quarantine to observe isolation guidelines involved in the mandatory two-week incubation period.

"Those who are quarantined must be experiencing a lot of inconvenience in their daily lives, but please closely co-operate for the safety of yourself, your families and your neighbours," he said.

Moon also asked South Koreans to constantly wear surgical face masks and wash their hands as frequently as they can to avoid getting infected.

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