# 10,168
We've a WHO update on cases #42 through #50 (see FluTrackers' List), one of which is a Health Care Worker who attended infected patients, while the others are nosocomially acquired infections of either patients or visitors to hospitals and Emergency rooms where MERS cases were being treated.
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Republic of Korea
Disease outbreak news 8 June 2015
On 6 June 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea notified WHO of 9 additional confirmed cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV).
Details of the cases are as follows:
- A 54-year-old female developed symptoms on 25 May while admitted to hospital for an unrelated medical condition since 19 May. From 19 to 20 May, the patient was admitted to the same ward where the first case had been hospitalized. Between 21 and 28 May, 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 29 May.
- A 40-year-old male developed symptoms on 1 June. On 27 May, 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 in a previous DON on 1 June (case n. 1). The patient tested positive for MERS-CoV and was isolated in the nationally designated hospital on 2 June.
- A 68-year-old female developed symptoms on 2 June. The patient sought medical care for unrelated medical conditions on 27 May. 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 in a previous DON on 1 June (case n. 1). She was notified about the exposure to the case, and told to self-quarantine at home and wear a mask. On 2 June, 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 4 June.
- A 65-year-old developed symptoms on June 1 but did not have any respiratory symptoms. Between 28 and 30 May, 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 in a previous DON on 4 June (case n. 1). The patient was isolated in the hospital on 2 June and was transferred to a negative pressure room on 3 June. He tested positive for MERS-CoV on 3 June.
- A 24-year-old, female health professional developed symptoms on 29 May. She attended patients on a floor where several laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV cases stayed. She was isolated at home on 28 May. The patient, who has no comorbidities, tested positive for MERS-CoV on 5 June.
- A 51-year-old female developed symptoms on 1 June. Between 18 and 28 May, 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 5 June.
- A 39-year-old male developed symptoms on 31 May. 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 in a previous DON on 1 June (case n. 1). He tested positive for MERS-CoV on 4 June.
- A 75-year-old male tested positive for MERS-CoV on 4 June. On 27 May, the patient attended 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.
- An 81-year-old female tested positive for MERS-CoV on 4 June. On 27 May, the patient went to the emergency room of a hospital that reported several laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV cases. Further investigation is ongoing.
So far, a total of 50 MERS-CoV cases, including 4 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 1204 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including at least 448 related deaths.
