At least 6 killed, 2000 elementry schools shut as MERS virus hits South Korea.

       Nearly 2,000 elementry schools have been shut down in South Korea as a measure to contain an outbreak of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus that has killed six people in the country. The health ministry on Monday reported 23 new infections, bringing the total to 87. Middle East respiratory Syndrome disease has killed hundreds of people in 25 countries, mostly Saudi Arabia. The outbreak in South Korea is the largest report outside the middle East. The latest death occured on Monday morning when a man in his 80s succumbed to the disease in Daejeon, a town 140 km from Seoul, the country's capital. 17 people were reported to have contracted the disease at the Samsung Medical Centre in the capital Seoul, according to the Health Ministry.