Roundup: S. Korean president delays U.S. visit after MERS infections top 100 in 3 weeks

South Korean President Park Geun-hye decided on Wednesday to delay her planned visit to the United States as the infection cases with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) topped 100, just three weeks after the first case was identified on May 20.

Senior presidential press secretary Kim Sung-woo told a press briefing that President Park has decided to postpone next week's trip to the United States to contain the MERS spread as early as possible for people's safety.

Park was scheduled to make a five-day travel to the United States on Sunday and hold a summit with U.S. President Barack Obama on June 16.

South Korea has become the most MERS-contagious country outside of Saudi Arabia, where the disease emerged first in 2012, and more than 1,000 cases have since been reported.

Thirteen MERS cases were added on Wednesday, bringing the total number to 108, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Two deaths were reported, raising the total death toll to nine.

Among the new cases, 10 people contracted the virus at the Samsung Medical Center in Seoul after having contact with the 14th patient, called a super spreader who infected most of the patients at the Samsung hospital.

The confirmed cases at the Samsung hospital totaled 47, the highest among nine hospitals where MERS infection happened. It was followed by 36 cases of Pyeongtaek St. Mary's Hospital, where the first patient was hospitalized some 60 km south of Seoul.

Two female caregivers in their 60s took the MERS virus at Konyang University Hospital and Daecheong Hospital in the central city of Daejeon each. Another case was reported from the 15th patient at Hallym University Medical Center in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province.

The total infection cases at the Konyang and Daecheong hospitals increased to nine and eight each, with the case at the Hallym hospital rising to three.

The death toll gained to nine with two more deaths - the 76th and 90th patients. The two had caught the virus from the 14th patient at the Samsung hospital.

Eleven patients, including a doctor of the Samsung hospital suspected of having striding down the street without any hindrance before MERS confirmation, have been in serious conditions.

The 34th female infectee, 25, was released from a hospital, raising the combined hospital discharge to four.

But, 3,439 people have still been quarantined as potential carriers of the MERS virus. Those under self-quarantine at home increased to 3,259 on Wednesday, with those staying at the government-designated hospitals for quarantine rising to 180. Among the total were 641 people freed from the isolation.

The health authorities announced a plan to separate confirmed patients from potential carriers by treating them at separate hospitals.

The confirmed patients will be treated at 16 biggest hospitals having isolation units of lower atmospheric pressure than surrounding air. Such units prevent the virus from going outside as air flows from high to low pressure.

The potential carriers will receive medical care at 32 hospitals nationwide, where MERS cases were confirmed or passed through in the past.

The health authorities plan to unveil a list of "safe hospitals " Thursday to temporarily examine people who had no contact with MERS infectees but developed symptoms such as high fever and coughing.

The authorities said Tuesday that it will test all pneumonia patients in Seoul, the Gyeonggi Province, Daejeon and Asan city in South Chungcheong Province to detect potential carriers of the MERS virus. Endi