Discharged MERS patient re-diagnosed with the virus

A patient who was thought to have completely recovered from the MERS outbreak was recently re-diagnosed with the virus. 

Health officials relayed, "A 35-year-old patient who was discharged on October 3 showed symptoms of high fever after conducting a test. We detected small amounts of the virus in his body." 

SEE ALSO: Police rescue elderly man with dementia walking against highway traffic on Chuseok

The patient, who was recuperating at home after being discharged, showed symptoms of MERS such as high fever and coughing, prompting him to be readmitted into Seoul National University hospital on October 12. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this patient's fight against the virus is the longest recorded one out of all the reported MERS cases. A total of 61 people who came in contact with the patient, including doctors and relatives were quarantined to prevent the further spreading of the virus. 

The government was planning to declare an official ending to MERS on October 29 or 28 days after results showed that the patient had tested negative for the virus. This is the first time since July that a new MERS case has been reported.