In its effort to curb the spread of MERS in the country, South Korea is taking on trials of experimental plasma treatment. The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome has now claimed the lives of 19 people in the country and infected over 150 people.

The experimental treatment have been previously used for the treatment of other deadly diseases, which include Ebola. It has been proven effective.

Like Us on Facebook

According to the South Korean health ministry, two of the country's infected hospitals would start the treatment trials.

Samsung hospital, located in the Gangnam region, has put on suspension most of its operations as two doctors and three nurses in the hospital were confirmed to have been infected, according to RT.

The hospital has also entirely stopped admitting new patients, according to hospital president Song Jae-Hoon.

The MERS outbreak in South Korea began after a 68-year-old businessman travelled to the four countries in the Middle East and returned home with symptoms last month. Thinking the symptoms were just pneumonia, the man had gone to four different hospitals and clinics before he had been properly diagnosed.

According to South Korea's government, the MERS outbreak is slowing, however there remains widespread fear as well as misinformation among citizens.

Health workers continue the spraying of disinfectant at karaoke rooms as well as other businesses. Meanwhile, in schools, teachers sprinkle salt on school grounds in an attempt at protection from the virus as schools start reopening this week, according to the BBC.

As for South Korea's economy, analysts have predicted that the country is likely to insert between $8.95 billion to $22.36 billion to its economy via a supplementary budget. The use of the budget aims to offset the impact of the disease to the country's economy.

Economist Kwon Young Sun from Nomura Group said in a note that the supplementary budget of 10 trillion won is expected to be released by late June. It is tantamount to 0.6 percent of the country's GDP last year, reported Reuters.

There remains no cure or vaccine for MERS. The disease, resulting from a coronavirus from the same family of SARS, is spread through coughs and sneezes.

Tagssouth korea plasma treatment for MERS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, plasma treatment, MERS, south korean outbreak, MERS outbreak