Thailand's only disease case set to leave hospital

Thailand is now MERS free as the only case of the disease in the country has made a full recovery and will be discharged from hospital today (Friday).

The 75-year-old man, who had traveled to Bangkok from Oman for treatment for a heart condition where he was then diagnosed with the virus, was declared free of the disease earlier this week.

Speaking with reporters, Thai Public Health Minister Rajata Rajatanavin said "the medical team looking after the patient and three of his relatives have decided that they can return home."

He added that the man and three of his relatives who traveled with him to Bangkok were preparing to leave an infectious diseases facility, though it wasn't clear whether they would travel back to Oman immediately.

Thailand's Health Ministry said all 176 people on its watch-list who were exposed to the country's single patient have tested negative for the disease.

Meanwhile, South Korea, battles the largest MERS outbreak outside Saudi Arabia, as 184 cases have been reported so far, 33 of whom have died.

MERS was first identified in humans in 2012 and it is caused by a corona virus from the same family as the one that triggered the 2003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

There is no cure or vaccine for the disease.