Doctors have confirmed two additional cases of MERS, or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, in South Korea.
 
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said a 71-year-old man who was in the same hospital ward as the first patient and a 28-year-old female medical worker at the hospital have been infected.
 
The two increased the number of MERS patients in South Korea to seven. With five patients as of Wednesday, South Korea has the most number of confirmed infections of MERS outside of the Middle East.
 
Health authorities say all those who have been confirmed with MERS were infected by the first patient, and no infections have occurred from others sources.
 
KCDC added that a person who was in close contact with the first patient departed for China on Tuesday.
 
The center informed Chinese authorities and requested that the person undergo an examination, while those who had been in contact with the person are being examined and placed in quarantine.
 
Meanwhile, tests results for a woman in her 20s residing in the North Jeolla region came back negative. She recently returned from the Middle East and reported Wednesday that she may have contracted MERS.