MANILA, Philippines – Three South Koreans who were admitted to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) on Monday, June 29, all tested negative for the MERS Coronavirus.

Health Spokesperson Lyndon Lee Suy confirmed this to Rappler in a text message Tuesday, June 30.

The Koreans, who showed symptoms of MERS, were first brought to the Manila Doctors Hospital before they were transferred to the RITM, according to a GMA News report.

The 3 were admitted on the same day that South Korea reported no new MERS cases and deaths for the first time in 9 days.

To date, South Korea has recorded 182 infections and 32 deaths since the outbreak began on May 20. A total of 2,682 people are currently under quarantine either in state facilities or at home. (READ: ‘Screen South Korean tourists amid MERS threat’)

MERS or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus is a fatal, influenza-like illness characterized by fever and cough, often with diarrhea.

As of June 26, the World Health Organization reported 1,356 laboratory-confirmed cases of infections, 484 of which resulted in death, worldwide.

The Philippines remains MERS-free since February, when a pregnant Filipina nurse arrived from Saudi Arabia and tested positive for MERS. – with a report from Agence France-Presse/Rappler.com