South Korea’s travel and anti-viral vaccine stocks Monday showed mixed results after the news of the country’s first outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in three years and three months.

Korean health authorities confirmed the first case of the infectious disease on Saturday. In the summer of 2015, fear gripped the nation as the virus claimed 38 lives.

On Monday, most of travel and airline stocks stayed weak whereas anti-viral and personal hygiene stocks flied high throughout the session.

Hana Tour and Mode Tour closed the day down more than 1 percent. Korean Air (-0.9 percent) and Asiana Airlines (-1.67 percent) lost around 1 percent, while budget airlines Jin Air (-2.2 percent) and T’way Air (-4.28 percent) were hit hard.

In contrast, vaccine, pharmaceutical and mask manufacturers showed strong performance: GeneOne Life Science maintained its 30 percent higher start to the end of the session. Other strong performers include Cheil Bio (10.43 percent), Jinyang Pharm (10.51 percent), Ildong Pharm (1.79 percent) Eagle Vet (2.99 percent), SeouLin Bioscience (2.24 percent), Okong (30.00 percent) and Welcron (20.1 percent).

The Korean health authorities said a 61-year-old Korean man was diagnosed with the MERS on Saturday, after returning from a business trip to Kuwait via Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. To date, 21 people who had close contact with the patient have voluntarily quarantined themselves at home.

By Park Joon-hyung and Minu Kim

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]