South Korea MERS cases surge to 64

South Korean health authorities on Sunday reported 14 more cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), escalating the total cases to 64.

Among the 14 new cases, a 75-year-old man died which took the total toll to five, Xinhua news agency reported.

The patient who died was in the same Seoul hospital emergency room where a total of 17 people, including two medical staff, are believed to have been infected with MERS, South Korea's health ministry said.

Of the 14 new cases, 10 were at the same Seoul hospital.

All of the confirmed South Korean infections have taken place in healthcare facilities, officials have said.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO) data, South Korea's new cases bring the total number globally to about 1,208, with at least 444 related deaths.

MERS is considered a deadly but less transmissible cousin of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus, which erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected thousands of people.

The WHO will send a team to South Korea next week to review and assess the situation.