Thousands of South Korean schools that closed over worries about Middle East respiratory syndrome reopened on Monday as the country sought to return to normal, nearly four weeks into an outbreak that showed signs of slowing.

Five new cases were reported by the Health Ministry on Monday, raising the total to 150, the largest outbreak outside Saudi Arabia. The ministry also said another MERS patient had died, the 16th fatality in less than a month.

All the cases have been traced to healthcare facilities. Four hospitals have been completely or partially closed in an effort to stop the spread of what the World Health Organization has said was a "large and complex" outbreak.