Nine New Cases of MERS-CoV in the Republic of Korea are Reported to WHO

On June 6, 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea notified the World Health Organization (WHO) of nine additional confirmed cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection. Details of the cases are as follows:

1. A 54-year-old female developed symptoms on May 25 while admitted to a hospital for an unrelated medical condition since May 19. From May 19 to May 20, the patient was admitted to the same ward where the first case had been hospitalized. Between May 21 and May 28, she was transferred to a different floor. The floor is where several laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV cases have been notified later. The patient, who has comorbidities, was isolated in the nationally designated hospital and tested positive for MERS-CoV on May 29.

2. A 40-year-old male developed symptoms on June 1. On May 27, the patient visited his son while he was admitted to hospital. During this time, he stayed in the same zone as a laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV case that was reported previously. The patient tested positive for MERS-CoV and was isolated in the nationally designated hospital on June 2.

3. A 68-year-old female developed symptoms on June 2. The patient sought medical care for unrelated medical conditions on May 27. She visited the emergency room of a hospital and went back home after treatment. At the hospital, the patient stayed in the same zone as a laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV case that was reported previously. She was notified about the exposure to the case, and told to self-quarantine at home and wear a mask. On June 2, when symptoms appeared, the patient went to the emergency room of another hospital where she was treated in the isolation area. The patient was later transferred to another hospital for further treatment and admitted to an isolation room in ICU. She tested positive for MERS-CoV on June 4.

4. A 65-year-old developed symptoms on June 1 but did not have any respiratory symptoms. Between May 28 and May 30, the patient went to a hospital. During this time, he stayed in the emergency room and at the same ward as a laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV case that was reported previously. The patient was isolated in the hospital on June 2 and was transferred to a negative pressure room on June 3. He tested positive for MERS-CoV on Jun 3.

5. A 24-year-old, female health professional developed symptoms on May 29. She attended patients on a floor where several laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV cases stayed. She was isolated at home on May 28. The patient, who has no comorbidities, tested positive for MERS-CoV on June 5.

6. A 51-year-old female developed symptoms on June 1. Between May 18 and May 28, the patient was admitted to a hospital that reported several MERS-CoV cases. She was isolated on June 1. The patient tested positive for MERS-CoV on June 5.

7. A 39-year-old male developed symptoms on May 31. The patient visited his wife while she was admitted to the emergency room of a hospital. His wife was admitted to the same room as a laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV case that was reported previously. He tested positive for MERS-CoV on June 4.

8. A 75-year-old male tested positive for MERS-CoV on June 4. On May 27, the patient attended the emergency room of a hospital that reported several laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV cases. Further investigation is ongoing.

9. An 81-year-old female tested positive for MERS-CoV on June 4. On May 27, the patient went to the emergency room of a hospital that reported several laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV cases. Further investigation is ongoing.

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

So far, a total of 50 MERS-CoV cases, including four deaths, have been reported to WHO by the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea. One of the 50 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 1,204 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including at least 448 related deaths.

Source: WHO