The Korean Peninsula Braces for MERS

An outbreak of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in South Korea is creating panic throughout the region. Though the risk of a pandemic is low, neither South Korea nor its neighbors are taking any chances in their response to the virus' spread. Their overly cautious policies could hurt South Korea's tourism sector in the short run by restricting travel, but any negative impact the epidemic has on the economy will be short-lived.