Middle East Respiratory Syndrome has claimed sixth life in South Korea. Authorities are spreading information to control the spread of the virus that has so far affected dozens of people.

As many as 87 people in South Korea have been confirmed being infected by MERS since last month. The outbreak has been confirmed to be the largest outside the Middle East. The outbreak led to the temporary closure of 1,870 schools in the country. Besides, more than 2,000 people are living isolated at their homes or state-run facilities because of unwittingly coming into contact with patients infected with the virus.

A statement issued by the Health Ministry confirmed the death of an 80-year-old man, who tested positive for the virus last week while being treated for pneumonia. He died on Monday and became the sixth having succumbed to MERS.

The names of the 24 hospitals where the MERS patients have been diagnosed or had been treated before their condition was confirmed were disclosed by the government on Sunday. The approach was this time different as the government moved beyond its earlier policy regarding disclosure of important information. The reason cited earlier by the government to not reveal the names of those hospitals was chances of disruption in services as people could have started avoiding them.

Kang Shin-myun, Seoul chief of police, said, “We will deal strongly with anyone who escalates unnecessary sense of public uneasiness”. He added that they will pass quarantine orders for those suspected of having MERS.