Increase in Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus Cases in Saudi Arabia Linked to Hospital Outbreak With Continued Circulation of Recombinant Virus, July 1–August 31, 2015

Assiri, Abdullah M.; Biggs, Holly M.; Abedi, Glen R.; Lu, Xiaoyan; Bin Saeed, Abdulaziz; Abdalla, Osman; Mohammed, Mutaz; Al-Abdely, Hail M.; Algarni, Homoud S.; Alhakeem, Raafat F.; Almasri, Malak M.; Alsharef, Ali A.; Nooh, Randa; Erdman, Dean D.; Gerber, Susan I.; Watson, John T.

We reviewed confirmed MERS-CoV cases reported by the MoH from July 1 to August 31, 2015 (regardless of illness onset date), collected demographic and outcome data, and classified each case based on likely source of transmission. Secondary cases were defined as those likely resulting from contact with a MERS-CoV-infected individual or contact with a setting associated with MERS-CoV transmission. We classified as secondary any case that had (1) worked, visited, or been admitted to a healthcare setting, or (2) had contact with a known MERS-CoV case or an individual with severe respiratory illness in the 14 days before illness onset (exposure period). Sporadic cases were defined as those not meeting criteria for classification as a secondary case. Cases were labeled unknown if available information was insufficient to determine a classification.