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The World Health Organization has published a MERS update which includes background on the 35-year old patient we discussed yesterday, who was discharged from the hospital 12 days ago and reportedly used public transportation while symptomatic, only to be readmitted and diagnosed with MERS over the a week later.
While his symptoms may have had more to do with a bacterial infection than MERS, he appears to have been quite mobile in the week prior to his readmission and diagnosis, including visiting several hospitals.
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Republic of Korea
Disease outbreak news 1 June 2015
On 31 May 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea notified WHO of 2 additional confirmed cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV).
Details of the cases are as follows:
- The case is a 35-year-old male who developed symptoms of cough, sputum and fever on 6 May and was admitted to hospital on 13 May. The patient has been on Tuberculosis medication since his son was diagnosed with the bacterial disease in April. Between 15 and 17, he shared the same ward with the first case during his hospitalization from 15 to 17 May. On 20 May, after his discharge, the patient visited two different hospitals due to fever and was put on antibiotics. As symptoms persisted despite antibiotic therapy, he was admitted to a hospital again on 27 May and confirmed positive for MERS-CoV on 29 May.
Contact tracing of household contacts and healthcare contacts is ongoing for the cases.
- The case is a 35 year-old male whose mother shared the same ward with the first case. From 15 to 21 May, the patient visited his mother every day at the hospital. He developed symptoms and visited an emergency room on 24 May. The patient was admitted to hospital between 25 and 27 May and confirmed positive for MERS-CoV on 30 May.
