Clinical Presentation and Outcomes of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in the Republic of Korea

Choi, Won Suk; Kang, Cheol-In; Kim, Yonjae; Choi, Jae-Phil; Joh, Joon Sung; Shin, Hyoung-Shik; Kim, Gayeon; Peck, Kyong Ran; Chung, Doo Ryeon; Kim, Hye Ok; Song, Sook Hee; Kim, Yang Ree; Sohn, Kyung Mok; Jung, Younghee; Bang, Ji Hwan; Kim, Nam Joong; Lee, Kkot Sil; Jeong, Hye Won; Rhee, Ji-Young; Kim, Eu Suk; Woo, Heungjeong; Oh, Won Sup; Huh, Kyungmin; Lee, Young Hyun; Song, Joon Young; Lee, Jacob; Lee, Chang-Seop; Kim, Baek-Nam; Choi, Young Hwa; Jeong, Su Jin; Lee, Jin-Soo; Yoon, Ji Hyun; Wi, Yu Mi; Joung, Mi Kyong; Park, Seong Yeon; Lee, Sun Hee; Jung, Sook-In; Kim, Shin-Woo; Lee, Jae Hoon; Lee, Hyuck; Ki, Hyun Kyun; Kim, Yeon-Sook

All patients with laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV infection were identified during the outbreak in the Republic of Korea, during which confirmatory tests were performed only for suspected cases. Suspected cases were defined as follows: 1) fever AND pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome (based on clinical or radiologic evidence) AND either a history of travel from countries in or near the Arabian Peninsula within 14 days before symptom onset OR close contact with a symptomatic traveller who developed fever and acute respiratory illness (not necessarily pneumonia) within 14 days after traveling from countries in the Arabian Peninsula. 2) Fever AND symptoms of respiratory illness (e.g., cough, shortness of breath) and presence in a healthcare facility (as a patient, worker, or visitor) within 14 days before symptom onset in a country in or near the Arabian Peninsula. 3) Fever OR symptoms of respiratory illness (e.g. cough, shortness of breath) AND close contact with a confirmed symptomatic MERS case [7] . Since June 4th, 2015, symptomatic people who visited a healthcare facility within 14 days before the onset of symp-toms in two or more confirmed healthcare-associated MERS cases were also included as suspected cases. One of the hospitals that treated patients with laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV infection also performed active surveillance of asymptomatic health care workers who were involved in the care of confirmed cases.