Police said Thursday they have booked two people for spreading false rumors about the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome online.
A 34-year-old suspect, surnamed Kim, allegedly wrote a message on his social networking services account, claiming that a patient suspected to be diagnosed with MERS was admitted to a general hospital in the southern port city of Busan, the National Police Agency said.
Another suspect, a 49-year-old male, also posted a message online that several staff members of a Seoul hospital were diagnosed with MERS and that the hospital’s intensive care unit has been shut down, the NPA said.
NPA officials said the two hospitals were unrelated to the deadly disease, adding they were looking into 12 other messages that have spread through SNS and other channels.
“An official investigation will be launched after confirming relevant facts through Health Ministry officials,” said an official.
The NPA commissioner said that the agency will sternly deal with those making and spreading groundless rumors about MERS without verifying relevant facts, fearing the messages could spark panic across the country.
“Police will sternly deal with the act of spreading false facts as it severely impacts public order,” said Kang Sin-myeong.
As of Thursday, the government reported five additional cases of MERS, raising the total number of MERS cases to 35. (Yonhap)
