Nineteen South Koreans in Kuwait who worked alongside a man recently discovered to have contracted MERS have tested negative for the disease.

A Foreign Ministry official in Seoul said Tuesday that Kuwaiti health authorities analyzed samples taken from the 19 South Koreans who came in contact with the diagnosed patient and they all tested negative. The official added that a formal announcement of the test results will come on Wednesday. 

So far, 32 South Koreans have been examined by Kuwaiti health authorities and have all tested negative for the highly infectious disease. 

Local doctors in Kuwait examined 12 other workers on Sunday and found no abnormal signs, while another South Korean who was hospitalized in Kuwait after showing possible symptoms of MERS has been given the all clear.