Download A Confirmed Case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome(MERS)

Press Release
Infectious Disease Control /
Distribution
May 20, 2015
Director
Kim Young-tack/
Choi Hye-ryun /
Department
Kim Sung-soon
Person In
Charge
Sohn Tae-jong/
Nam Jung-ku
Public Health Crisis Response/
Respiratory Virus
043-719-7120
Tel
043-719-7244/8210
A Confirmed Case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome(MERS) Reported
in Korea
< Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention are aggressively carrying out measures,
such as reinforced quarantine and isolation for treatment to prevent further spread of MERS
in Korea >
Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (Director: Yang Byungguk) announced that
a Korean who flew in from Bahrain tested positive for MERS-CoV on May 20.
- 68 year-old male
- Stayed in Bahrain from April 18 to May 3 for agricultural products business
- Arrived at Incheon International Airport via Qatar on May 4 and was asymptomatic on
arrival
- Developed symptoms (fever and cough) on May 11 (7 days after his arrival)
- Sought medical care at Hospital A on May 11 on an outpatient basis; was admitted to
Hospital B on May 12 and discharged on May 14; and visited the emergency department of
Hospital C on May 17
- Was admitted to Hospital C on May 18, and discharged on May 20.
- A sputum sample was sent for test on May 19 and the sample tested positive for MERS
on May 20 (Korea National Institute of Health)
- The patient was transferred to the nationally designated treatment facility for isolation.
( the patient is reported to be in stable condition)
After requesting for the sputum sample test on May 19, the Korea Centers for Disease
Control & Prevention began its investigation on the source of infection and contract tracing
including household and healthcare contacts.
 On May 19, the epidemiologic investigator of the Seoul Metropolitan City began to
trace the source of infection.
 On May 19-20, the Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (Korea National
Institute of Health) began DNA test.
 On May 20, the central epidemiologic investigation team of the Korea Centers for
Disease Control & Prevention began epidemiologic investigation of the health-care
workers and family who might have been exposed to the virus through contact with
the patient since May 11.
 Tentatively, it is reported that:

The patient was not in contact with animals like camels nor patients with similar
respiratory symptoms, the common source of infection, during his stay in
Bahrain or while returning to Korea.

Bahrain had no reported cases of MERS to date and Qatar where the patient
made a brief stop for a transit reported no cases of MERS for the past two
months.
* 1,142 cases of MERS were reported in 23 countries since 2012, and 90 percent of the
reported cases are from Saudi Arabia. Still cases of MERS are reported sporadically in
Saudi Arabia.

Patient’s wife who had been taking care of her husband developed mild
symptoms of respiratory disease and thus her sputum sample is being tested.

The three hospitals where the patient was treated are reported to have no similar
cases.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention has informed the public that they are
aggressively implementing following measures in order to block any additional import cases
of MERS and to prevent further spread of the disease in the country:
1. The notice level is notched up from watch to alert, and a central headquarters for
disease prevention is set up where the director of Korea CDC will personally lead the
response units.
2. KCDC will cooperate with relevant health organizations for patient treatment and
isolation and run nationally designated treatment facilities with quarantined beds.
3. People who were in close contact with a MERS patient such as family members and
health-care workers are home quarantined and the epidemiologic investigation of the
disease is on-going.
4. All travellers flying in from the Middle East countries are inspected for fever at
arrival gates and are asked to fill out the questionnaire on their health status.
5. A designated examination team will run 24/7 for a speedy diagnosis. (National
Institute of Health)
6. KCDC will report the confirmed cases to the WHO and beef up the cooperative
network among nations to trace the route of virus infection and to prevent the spread
of the disease from one country to another.
In addition, the KCDC noted that the patient is getting better, and although some of the
family members of the patient are developing similar symptoms of the disease, all persons
who might have had possible exposure, including the medical staffs, are being examined. It
also stated that there is scarce possibility of further infection in Korea as all travellers from
potential MERS case countries are inspected upon arrival.
 The WHO has identified MERS as an infectious disease undermining public health;
however, it does not recommend the application of any travel or trade restrictions or
entry screening related to MERS. (Feb. 2015)
Appendix 1: General Outline and Clinical Attributes of MERS
 General Outline

Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) caused by coronavirus was first
identified in Saudi Arabia in April 2012. Since then, it has been spreading mostly
in the Middle East countries, but no nations are immune to date.
-
A total of 1142 cases of MERS from 23 countries including Europe are
reported and among which 465 patients died. (ECDC, May 16, 2015)
-
97.8 percent of the reported MERS cases (1117 patients) are from the Middle
East nations including Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
 Clinical Attributes

(Incubation Period) Develops Symptoms within 2 ~ 14 days
* No risk of infection before symptoms are developed

(Symptoms) respiratory symptoms such as fever running over 38℃, cough,
difficulty in breathing, and short breaths
-

(Treatment) internal treatment depending on the patient’s symptom
-

People with chronicle diseases such as acute renal failure or
immunocompromised persons are considered to be at high risk of severe
disease from MRES infection.
No anti-virus or vaccines for treatment are known to date.
(Route of Infection) The route of infection has yet to be identified, but all
patients are directly or indirectly are related to the Middle East (especially Saudi
Arabia).
-
Patients have either been traveling or working in the Middle East, or been in
contact with camels through their visits to camel market or farms, or by
riding camels.
Appendix 2: MERS Cases to Date by Nation since Feb. 2012
(ECDC, May 16, 2015)
Nation
Infection Cases
Mortality
Total (23 Countries)
1,142
465
Saudi Arabia
996
428
United Arab Emirates
74
10
Jordan
19
6
Qatar
11
4
Middle East
Oman
5
3
(10 countries)
Kuwait
3
1
Egypt
1
0
Yemen
1
1
Lebanon
1
0
Iran
6
2
Turkey
1
1
UK
4
3
Germany
3
1
Europe
France
2
1
(8 countries)
Italy
1
0
Greece
1
1
The Netherlands
2
0
Austria
1
0
Africa
Tunisia
3
1
(2 countries)
Algeria
2
1
Asia
Malaysia
1
1
(2 countries)
The Philippines
2
0
America
US
2
0
 To date, a total of 1142 cases of MERS from 23 countries are reported, of which 465
patients died (May 15, 2015, ECDC)

During the past four months, a total of 165 cases of MERS were reported. (24
cases in Jan. 2015, 78 cases in Feb. 2015, 55 cases in Mar. 2015, and 8 cases in
Apr. 2015)
 The number of MERS cases that was on the rise since Jan. 2015, began to decline
after the second week of Feb. 2015 when the number peaked (28 cases).