Anchor: The Ministry of Health and Welfare says no new cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome were reported for the sixth straight day on Saturday, marking the longest period of time to date in which no new cases were confirmed. 
Our Mina Cha has more.

Report: The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Saturday that no new cases of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) have been reported for the sixth straight day, leaving the number of total confirmed MERS patients from the current outbreak unchanged at 186.

The Ministry's central MERS-response headquarters said this marks the longest period of time to date in which no new cases were confirmed since the outbreak in South Korea that began in May.

Three more patients have fully recovered and were released from hospital, while one more patient has died from the deadly virus.

Five-hundred-13 suspected patients remain under quarantine at home or hospital, 53 fewer than Friday.

If the MERS outbreak continues to subside at this pace with no additional patients, those under quarantine are also all expected to be released by around July 25. 

However it is uncertain when the government will be able to declare the end of the current epidemic. 

The Health Ministry is currently in talks with the World Health Organization (WHO) to set the criteria on when and how to declare Korea MERS-free.

The WHO generally declares the end of an epidemic after a period twice longer incubation period elapses following the last confirmed infection.
Mina Cha, KBS World Radio News.