15 Cases of MERS-CoV in Republic of Korea are Reported to WHO, Brings Total to 30 Cases

Between June 1 and 3, 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea notified the World Health Organization (WHO) of 15 additional confirmed cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), including one death. Details of the cases are as follows:

1. A 40-year-old male developed symptoms on May 20. The patient was admitted to the same hospital as the first case from May 15 to May 17. He was admitted to another hospital between May 25 and May 27. From May 28 to May 30, the patient was admitted to a third hospital. As symptoms worsened, on May 30, he was transferred to a nationally designated medical center for treatment. The patient tested positive for MERS-CoV on May 31.

2. A 45-year-old male developed symptoms on May 22 and was admitted to hospital on the same day. Between May 15 and 16, the patient visited his father while he was admitted to the same ward as the first case. The patient tested positive for MERS-CoV on May 31. Currently, he is in stable condition.

3. A 77-year-old female developed symptoms on May 20. The patient was admitted to the same ward as the first case from May 4 to 16. She visited a hospital on May 30 and tested positive for MERS-CoV on May 31. Currently, the patient is in stable condition.

4. A 60-year-old male developed symptoms on May 28. From May 16 to 17, the patient cared for a family member who was admitted to the same hospital as the first case. He tested positive for MERS-CoV on May 31. Currently, the patient is in stable condition.

5. A 40-year-old male developed symptoms on May 23. The patient was admitted to the same ward as the first case from May 15 to 17. He was transferred to a nationally designated medical centre. The patient tested positive for MERS-CoV on May 31. Currently, he is in stable condition.

6. A 59-year-old female developed symptoms on May 23, which disappeared on May 29. As symptoms returned, the patient was admitted to a nationally designated medical center. She tested positive for MERS-CoV on May 31. The patient cared for her husband who was admitted to the same hospital as the first case from May 15 to 17. Currently, she is in stable condition.

7. A 39-year-old female developed fever on May 27. The patient cared for her son who was admitted to the same hospital as the first case from May 15 to 17. She was later admitted to the nationally designated medical center. The patient tested positive for MERS-CoV on May 31. Currently, she is in stable condition.

8. A 73-year-old male developed symptoms on May 31 while admitted to hospital for unrelated medical conditions since May 27. The patient, who has comorbidities, shared the room with a MERS-CoV laboratory-confirmed case between May 28 and 30. Once he tested positive for MERS-CoV on June 1, the patient was transferred to the nationally designated medical centre.

9. A 78-year-old male developed symptoms on May 31 while admitted to hospital for unrelated medical conditions. The patient, who has comorbidities, shared the room with a MERS-CoV laboratory-confirmed case between May 28 and 30. He tested positive for MERS-CoV on June 1. Currently, the patient is in stable condition.
died on June 1.

10.A 57-year-old female was hospitalized in the same ward with the first case from May 15 to 17. The patient, who had comorbidities, was admitted to ICU. She died on June 1.

11. A 43-year-old male developed symptoms on 21 May and was admitted to hospital on 28 May. Between 13 and 18 May, the patient visited his son while he was admitted to the same ward as the first case. The patient tested positive for MERS-CoV on 2 June. Currently, he is in stable condition.

12. A 55-year-old male developed symptoms on 1 June. The patient, who has comorbidities, was admitted to the same ward as the first case from 4 to 28 May. He tested positive for MERS-CoV on 2 June. Currently, the patient is in stable condition.

13. A 58-year-old male developed symptoms on May 29. From May 15 to 17, He visited his wife while she was admitted to the same room as the first case. The patient, who has comorbidities, tested positive for MERS-CoV on June 2. Currently, he is in stable condition.

14. A 77-year-old female tested positive for MERS-CoV on June 2. The patient was admitted to hospital on April 25 due to an unrelated medical condition. She shared the same ward as the first case from May 15 to 17.

15. A 60-year-old male developed symptoms on May 30 while admitted to hospital for an unrelated medical condition since May 22. The patient shared the same room as a MERS-CoV laboratory-confirmed case from May 25 to 27. He tested positive for MERS-CoV on June 2.

Contact tracing of household and healthcare contacts is ongoing for the cases.

The National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea also notified WHO of the death of one previously reported MERS-CoV cases. So far, a total of 30 MERS-CoV cases, including two deaths, have been reported to WHO by the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea. One of the 30 cases is the case that was confirmed in China and also notified by the National IHR Focal Point of China.

Globally, since September 2012, WHO has been notified of 1,179 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including at least 442 related deaths.

Source:  WHO