South Korea reports first two deaths from MERS respiratory illness

Hospital workers stand in front of a quarantine area set up at a hospital in Seoul, South Korea, June 2, 2015. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea on Tuesday reported its first two deaths from an outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) that has infected 25 people in two weeks, as public alarm grew and officials scrambled to contain the outbreak.

South Korea has isolated more than 700 people for possible MERS infection, which is caused by a coronavirus from the same family as the one that triggered the deadly 2003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). MERS has a much higher death rate than SARS and there is no cure or vaccine.