Seoul has reported Sunday that there have been no more additional cases of people infected with the Middle Ease Respiratory Syndrome - Corona Virus (MERS-CoV) for seven consecutive days.

Hospitals and almost all establishments have resumed services and there have been a significant increase in visitors, a sign that the dreaded outbreak is almost over.

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Once officially declared that the outbreak has ended, sources say that Moon Hyung-pyo, the Health Minister who has been criticized for how he handled the outbreak, may be replaced, reports The Korea Herald.

Since the report of the index case last May 20, the outbreak has caused the death of 36 and infected 186 people. If ever there will be no new reports of spread until August 2, it can be declared that the outbreak is officially over. 

As of today, there have been a total of 125 patients who have fully recovered from the disease and have been sent home. Those medical facilities that have been shut down, which include Pyeongtaek St Mary's Hospital and Hallym University Medical Center have now resumed operation. All levels nationwide have been having normal schedules since July 6.

As reported by the Korea Film Council, there were 2.29 million people who visited the movie theaters from July 4-5, almost two-fold of those who went in the same time last month.

Jeong Eun-kyung, from the Health Ministry, said, "We are discussing with local and foreign experts as to when and how we are going to declare the end of the outbreak."

The MERS outbreak in Korea has dramatically affected their economy and how they go about their everyday lives as many avoided public and crowded places which includes the shopping malls and public transportation. Three thousand schools across the country were shut down to prevent the possible spread of infection last June 12, according to Business Korea.

The Bank of Korea forecasted last week that there will be a slow economic growth this year. Only around 2.8 percent as compared to 3.3 percent last year, which is mainly caused by the MERS outbreak.

The outbreak has also had an impact on Korea's $30 billion tourism industry where more than 124,000, most of whom are Chinese tourists, cancelled their trips to Korea.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism approximates that foreign visitors over the past month has decreased by 24 percent from the same time period in the past year.

The Health Ministry, which is led by Minister moon, has been repeatedly criticized since the early stage of the outbreak for keeping the public aware of the crisis. The government withheld the list of the hospitals that were affected by MERS for 18 days after the confirmation of the index case late May. Their lack of transparency was attributed to the fear that it may bring to the public that eventually damaged the country's economy. They have also been accused of safeguarding only the commercial interests of the hospitals by not telling the general public rather than ensuring everyone's safety from acquiring the possible infection.

President Park Geun-hye said last month that there were a few challenges with how the government initally handled the outbreak which insinuates Moon's poor leadership. She made her first ocular visit more than two weeks after the index case was confirmed to meet the medical staff.

Last month, Minister Moon has publicly announced at the National assembly that he is amenable for the ministry's weaknesses in handling the MERS outbreak, as per Bernama.com.

"It is most likely that Moon will be replaced once the outbreak will be officially over," an official of Cheong Wa Dae being quoted anonymously in news reports.

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