2015 Middle East respiratory syndrome outbreak in South Korea

Last updated
2015 Middle East respiratory syndrome outbreak in South Korea
South Korea adm location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Seoul
Red pog.svg
Pyeongtaek
Red pog.svg
Daejeon
Red pog.svg
Asan
Red pog.svg
Hwaseong
Blue 000080 pog.svg
Busan
Blue 000080 pog.svg
Daegu
Red pog.svg
Yongin
Blue 000080 pog.svg
Sokcho
Blue 000080 pog.svg
Gyeongju
Blue 000080 pog.svg
Sunchang
Blue 000080 pog.svg
Jeju
Blue 000080 pog.svg
Boryeong
Red pog.svg Hospital where confirmed MERS cases were exposed
Blue 000080 pog.svg Location where confirmed MERS cases visited [1]
Date20 May 2015
Location South Korea
Casualties

An outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus occurred in South Korea from May 2015 to July 2015. [5] The virus, which causes Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), was a newly emerged betacoronavirus that was first identified in a patient from Saudi Arabia in April 2012. From the outbreak, a total of 186 cases were infected in the country, with a death toll of 38. [3]

Contents

Outbreak

South Korea reported its first MERS case on 20 May 2015. [6] A 68-year-old man returning from the Middle East was diagnosed with MERS nine days after he initially sought medical help. [7]

The following table shows the daily statistics on the number of infected persons since 20 May 2015, based on the official report of the Central MERS Management Task Force, Ministry of Health and Welfare at the beginning of each day. [2] [8]

^*1 Includes a case reported in China [9]

^*2 Parentheses indicate interim value

Main transmission route and event timeline

MERS-CoV, 2015, South Korea Key (see also within diagram): H hospital / clinic HCW health care worker circled number patient case number Dates are dates of diagnosis Transmission route.png
MERS-CoV, 2015, South Korea
Key (see also within diagram):
   H            hospital / clinic
   HCW      health care worker
   circled number    patient case number
   Dates are dates of diagnosis

Government reaction

The Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare initially withheld details from the public, [11] as identifying the medical institution treating a MERS patient might cause unnecessary anxiety to its other patients. This policy lacked public acceptance, [12] and was heavily criticized as preventing the Ministry from properly notifying hospitals and municipal governments. On 3 June, it was found that the Ministry had not notified the Incheon municipal government of the transfer of an infected patient to its local medical institution. [13] The following day the Seoul municipal government announced that it had learned by chance, through an official attending a meeting, that a hospital doctor, who began to show symptoms on 29 May and tested positive on 1 June, had been moving freely within the city and had attended a gathering of 1,565 people in Gaepo-dong on 30 May. [14] The municipal government obtained a list of the 1,565; the Ministry proposed to undertake "passive surveillance"; the municipal government rejected this as "lukewarm" and intervened directly: initially by contacting those listed. [14]

On 7 June, after 2,361 people were isolated, 64 patients were confirmed infected and 5 had died, [15] the central government finally disclosed the names of MERS-exposed medical institutions. [16]

Hospitals

On 7 June 2015, the South Korean government released the names of 24 MERS-affected hospitals to the public. [17] These hospitals include the Pyeongtaek St. Mary's (SeongMo) Hospital (평택성모병원) and the Seoul Samsung Hospital (삼성서울병원), an affiliate of Samsung Medical Center. [18] [19] [20]

Hospitals where confirmed MERS cases were exposed, as of 12 July 2015, 11:00 [21]
HospitalKorean nameCity/ProvinceNo. of cases
Samsung Medical Centre삼성서울병원Gangnam-gu/ Seoul90
Pyeongtaek St. Mary's Hospital평택성모병원Pyeongtaek/ Gyeonggi Province37
Dae Cheong Hospital대청병원Seo-gu/ Daejeon14
KonYang University Hospital건양대학교병원Seo-gu/ Daejeon11
Hallym University Medical Centre한림대학교동탄성심병원Hwaseong/ Gyeonggi Province6
Gangdong Gyeonghee University Hospital강동경희대학교의대병원Gangdong-gu/ Seoul5
Gunguk University Hospital건국대병원Gwangjin-gu/ Seoul4
Pyeongtaek Good Morning Hospital평택굿모닝병원Pyeongtaek/ Gyeonggi Province4
Asan Seoul Clinic아산서울의원Asan / Chungnam Province1
Yangji Samsung Medical Center양지 서울삼성의원Yongin/ Gyeonggi Province1
365 Yeol Lin Clinic365 열린의원Gangdong-gu/ Seoul1
Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital가톨릭대학교 여의도성모병원Yeongdeungpo-gu/ Seoul1
Asan Medical Center서울아산병원Songpa-gu/ Seoul1
Good gang-an Hospital좋은강안병원Suyeong-gu/ Busan1
Dr. Song Clinic송태의 내과Songpa-gu/ Seoul1
Others (outside hospitals, under investigation)7
Total186

A 44-year-old South Korean man travelled to Huizhou, China via Hong Kong, [22] on business, on 26 May, contrary to a doctor's advice and in breach of a self-quarantine order from the government: his father and elder sister were both confirmed infected by MERS. [23] He was later found to have a fever, [23] and was subsequently confirmed infected. [22] He was suspected of dishonestly failing to disclose to Hong Kong border quarantine officers that he had visited his father in hospital on 16 May for nearly 4 hours. [23]

On 30 May 2015, a website said that a driver in Huizhou who transported a South Korean male MERS patient was suspected to be infected but later the government clarified that this was a rumor. [24]

A Chinese fugitive who stayed in South Korea for 3 years turned himself in as he was afraid of the outbreak. He arrived at Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport on 4 June. [25]

On 8 June 2015, a South Korean couple who did not follow the self-quarantine notice were found to have visited the Philippines on 6 June. They had visited the respective clinics in Sunchang County where a 72-year-old woman was confirmed positive for MERS after having visited the clinic for lumbago treatment. The couple said that they only knew that the 72-year-old woman was a MERS-positive patient only after reading the news. [26]

On 9 June 2015, two Hong Kong students from City University of Hong Kong doing a three-month exchange program in Sungkyunkwan University were ordered by a professor to get out of the classroom as they refused to remove their protective masks. The professor also said that they were too sensitive to the outbreak because of the history of SARS in Hong Kong in 2003. Sungkyunkwan University replied that some professors saw wearing masks as impolite and said if students insist on wearing masks, they might be refused to give presentations in class and may be unable to graduate due to this. Affected students said this reflected that the South Korean public was not attentive to the threat of the MERS outbreak. [27]

On 25 June, a South Korean man who had been treated at a Chinese hospital after being diagnosed with the MERS virus in late May, was released from the hospital and returned to South Korea. [28]

Effects

Education

The following table shows the number of schools that temporarily closed due to the outbreak:

DateNumber of schools closed
2 June 201584 [29]
3 June 2015214 [30]
4 June 20151,162 [31]
5 June 20151,317 [32]
7 June 20151,381 (7 in Gyeonggi Province) [33]
8 June 20151,970 [34]
9 June 20152,208 [35]
15 June 2015475 [36]

Economy

On 11 June 2015, South Korea's central bank cut interest rates by 0.25 percentage points to stem the economic fallout from the outbreak. [37]

South Korea's department store sales decreased by 16.5% compared to the same period last year, and retail shops also decreased 3.4%, according to the Minister of Strategy and Finance, as of 17 June 2015. [38]

As of 17 June 2015, 100,000 tourist visits to the nation had been cancelled. [38]

Testing infrastructure

After the outbreak, South Korea developed a system to rapidly expand testing capabilities during future disease outbreaks. This has been credited as a reason for South Korea's widespread testing and effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic. [39]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SARS</span> Disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a viral respiratory disease of zoonotic origin caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, the first identified strain of the SARS coronavirus species, severe acute respiratory syndrome–related coronavirus (SARSr-CoV). The first known cases occurred in November 2002, and the syndrome caused the 2002–2004 SARS outbreak. In the 2010s, Chinese scientists traced the virus through the intermediary of Asian palm civets to cave-dwelling horseshoe bats in Xiyang Yi Ethnic Township, Yunnan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coronavirus</span> Subfamily of viruses in the family Coronaviridae

Coronaviruses are a group of related RNA viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans and birds, they cause respiratory tract infections that can range from mild to lethal. Mild illnesses in humans include some cases of the common cold, while more lethal varieties can cause SARS, MERS and COVID-19, which is causing the ongoing pandemic. In cows and pigs they cause diarrhea, while in mice they cause hepatitis and encephalomyelitis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2002–2004 SARS outbreak</span> Epidemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome originating in China

The 2002–2004 outbreak of SARS, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, infected over 8,000 people from 29 countries and territories, and resulted in at least 774 deaths worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince of Wales Hospital</span> Hospital in New Territories, Hong Kong

Prince of Wales Hospital is a large of Tertiary referral hospital and large of teaching hospital from Faculty of Medicine in Chinese University of Hong Kong in Sha Tin, New Territories in Hong Kong..

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SARS-CoV-1</span> Virus that causes SARS

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 1 is a strain of coronavirus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the respiratory illness responsible for the 2002–2004 SARS outbreak. It is an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus that infects the epithelial cells within the lungs. The virus enters the host cell by binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2. It infects humans, bats, and palm civets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Centre for Infectious Diseases</span> Specialised hospital in Singapore

The National Centre for Infectious Diseases, previously known as the Communicable Disease Centre, is a national public health institute under the Ministry of Health of Singapore. Located next to Tan Tock Seng Hospital in Novena, all patients within the city-state who are affected with a highly contagious disease are also quarantined at the NCID and is used to control an outbreak of such diseases. The executive director of the hospital is Professor Yee-Sin Leo.

Joseph Sriyal Malik Peiris is a Hong Kong-based British and Sri Lankan virologist, most notable for being the first person to isolate the SARS virus.He is the current Tam Wah-Ching Professor in Medical Science, and Chair Professor of Virology at the Division of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Hong Kong. He was a member of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization of the World Health Organization from 2009 to 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Health in South Korea</span> Overview of health in South Korea

Life expectancy has been rising rapidly and South Korea ranked 3rd in the world for life expectancy. South Korea has among the lowest HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate in the world, with just 0.1% of the population being infected, significantly lower than the U.S. at 0.6%, France's 0.4%, and the UK's 0.3% prevalence rate. South Korea has a good influenza vaccination rate, with a total of 43.5% of the population being vaccinated in 2019. A new measure of expected human capital calculated for 195 countries from 1920 to 2016 and defined for each birth cohort as the expected years lived from age 20 to 64 years and adjusted for educational attainment, learning or education quality, and functional health status was published by the Lancet in September 2018. South Korea had the sixth highest level of expected human capital with 26 health, education, and learning-adjusted expected years lived between age 20 and 64 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">W. Ian Lipkin</span> Professor, microbiologist, epidemiologist

Walter Ian Lipkin is the John Snow Professor of Epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University and a professor of Neurology and Pathology at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University. He is also director of the Center for Infection and Immunity, an academic laboratory for microbe hunting in acute and chronic diseases. Lipkin is internationally recognized for his work with West Nile virus, SARS and COVID-19.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome</span> Medical condition

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a tick-borne infection. Signs and symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of consciousness and heamorrhage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MERS-related coronavirus</span> Species of virus

Middle East respiratory syndrome–related coronavirus (MERS-CoV), or EMC/2012 (HCoV-EMC/2012), is the virus that causes Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). It is a species of coronavirus which infects humans, bats, and camels. The infecting virus is an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus which enters its host cell by binding to the DPP4 receptor. The species is a member of the genus Betacoronavirus and subgenus Merbecovirus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MERS</span> Viral respiratory infection

Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is a viral respiratory infection caused by Middle East respiratory syndrome–related coronavirus (MERS-CoV). Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. Typical symptoms include fever, cough, diarrhea, and shortness of breath. The disease is typically more severe in those with other health problems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Middle East respiratory syndrome outbreak</span> Epidemic of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus

Since 2012, an outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus has affected several countries, primarily in its namesake, the Middle East. The virus, which causes Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), is a novel coronavirus that was first identified in a patient from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on June 6, 2012.

Singapore has taken a series of measures against Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and the potential threat of a pandemic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Middle East respiratory syndrome outbreak</span> Middle Eastern outbreak of MERS-CoV

The 2018 Middle East respiratory syndrome outbreak was a set of infections of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV). The cases were most numerous in, and are believed to have originated from, Saudi Arabia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency</span> South Korean government public health agency

Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, formerly Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is an organization under the South Korean Ministry of Welfare and Health that is responsible for the advancement of public health by managing prevention, survey, quarantine, trial, and research on infectious diseases, chronic and rare illnesses and injuries. It was founded in December 2003 and is located in Osong Health Technology Administration Complex in Cheongju. The organization is led by the vice-ministerial-level Commissioner of KDCA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea</span> Ongoing COVID-19 viral pandemic in South Korea

The COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea is part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The first case in South Korea was announced on 20 January 2020. The number of confirmed cases increased on 19 February by 20, and on 20 February by 58 or 70, giving a total of 346 confirmed cases on 21 February 2020, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), with the sudden jump mostly attributed to "Patient 31" who participated in a gathering at a Shincheonji Church of Jesus the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony church in Daegu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 pandemic in Asia</span> Ongoing COVID-19 viral pandemic in Asia

The COVID-19 pandemic began in Asia in Wuhan, Hubei, China, and has spread widely through the continent. As of 5 January 2023, at least one case of COVID-19 had been reported in every country in Asia except Turkmenistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 surveillance</span> Measures to monitor the spread of the respiratory disease

COVID-19 surveillance involves monitoring the spread of the coronavirus disease in order to establish the patterns of disease progression. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends active surveillance, with focus of case finding, testing and contact tracing in all transmission scenarios. COVID-19 surveillance is expected to monitor epidemiological trends, rapidly detect new cases, and based on this information, provide epidemiological information to conduct risk assessment and guide disease preparedness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019</span> Sequence of major events in a virus pandemic

This article documents the chronology and epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in 2019, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. The first human cases of COVID-19 known to have been identified were in Wuhan, Hubei, China, in December 2019.

References

  1. ↑ "Hospitals with Known MERS Exposure (June 22)". Ministry of Health and Welfare. 22 June 2015. Archived from the original on 30 June 2015.
  2. 1 2 알림> 보도자료 목록 - '메르스' 검색결과 [Press release - Search result 'MERS'] (in Korean). Ministry of Health and Welfare. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Republic of Korea". World Health Organization. Archived from the original on October 26, 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  4. ↑ "[그래픽뉴스]메르스 환자 현황 (6월14일 점심)". news1korea (in Korean). 14 June 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  5. ↑ "South Korea declares 'end' to Mers". 28 July 2015 – via www.bbc.com.
  6. ↑ "S. Korea reports 23 new cases of MERS, bringing total to 87". Yonhap News Agency. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  7. ↑ "South Korea MERS Outbreak Began With a Cough". The Wall Street Journal . 8 June 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  8. ↑ "메르스 확진자 총 150명, 현재 120명 치료 중". Ministry of Health and Welfare. 15 June 2015.
  9. ↑ "Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)". World Health Organization. Archived from the original on June 14, 2015.
  10. ↑ Jack, A (2015). "Why the panic? South Korea's MERS response questioned". BMJ. 350: h3403. doi:10.1136/bmj.h3403. PMID   26108610. S2CID   38833740.
  11. ↑ Herald, The Korea (2 June 2015). "Korea mulling disclosure of MERS-affected hospitals" . Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  12. ↑ "메르스 발생 병원, 공개 안하겠다는 정부..국민들은 반발". Daum 뉴스. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  13. ↑ 중부일보. "정부, 메르스 환자 인천으로 은밀히 이송...市 '깜깜' 당혹" . Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  14. 1 2 "[2015] Mayor's Speech As Head of the Anti-MERS MERS Headquarters, I will Address even the Smallest Problems".
  15. ↑ "[KBS뉴스] 메르스 감염 실태, 한눈에 보기". dj.kbs.co.kr. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  16. ↑ Herald, The Korea (7 June 2015). "S. Korea identifies 24 MERS-affected hospitals" . Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  17. ↑ "S. Korea identifies 24 MERS-affected hospitals". Yonhap News Agency. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  18. ↑ 정부, 메르스 환자 발생·경유 병원 24곳 공개. The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 7 June 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  19. ↑ 메르스 병원 '24곳' 명단 공개… 경유병원만 '18곳'. www.moneyweek.co.kr (in Korean). 8 June 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  20. ↑ "MERS-Affected Hospitals". www.google.com. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  21. ↑ "Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)". World Health Organization. Archived from the original on June 20, 2015.
  22. 1 2 "China's first confirmed MERS case arrived from Korea via Hong Kong". 29 May 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  23. 1 2 3 (in Chinese) "疑中招韓男隱瞞病歷經港往惠州新沙士殺到". 蘋果日報. 29 May 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  24. ↑ (in Chinese) "广东惠州接MERS患者司机疑被传染 官方辟谣". China Central Television. 30 May 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  25. ↑ (in Chinese) "一外逃韩国经济犯担心染上MERS 权衡利弊回国自首". 北青网. 5 June 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  26. ↑ "S. Korean couple under MERS suspicion visit PH". Manila Bulletin. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  27. ↑ "本月餘下南韓團或取消 交流生批韓缺防疫意識". TVB. 8 June 2015. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  28. ↑ "S. Korean MERS patient in China recovered, released from hospital". Yonhap News Agency. 26 June 2015.
  29. ↑ "'메르스 불안' 전국 학교 휴업 100곳 육박". KBS . 2 June 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  30. ↑ 신상윤 (3 June 2015). "[메르스 쇼크]전국 214개교 휴교 또는 휴업…"학생 감염 막기위해 적극적 방역"". 헤럴드경제. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  31. ↑ 최희진; 박성진; 김보미 (5 June 2015). "메르스 방역, 서울이 뚫렸다… 감염 확진 서울 의사, 시민 1500여명과 접촉". Kyunghyang Shinmun . Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  32. ↑ 박정양 (5 June 2015). "전국 1317개교 '메르스 휴업'…서울 99개교". 뉴스원. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  33. ↑ 김병덕 (7 June 2015). "서울·경기 1381개 유치원·학교 강제 휴업명령". 파이넨셜뉴스. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  34. ↑ 노재현 (8 June 2015). "메르스 휴업 유치원·학교 1천970곳…전국 10곳 중 1곳". Yonhap News Agency . Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  35. ↑ 박정양 (9 June 2015). "전국 2208개 학교 '메르스 휴업'…오후 확산세 '주춤'". 뉴스원. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  36. ↑ 노재현 (15 June 2015). "교육부 "메르스 휴업 유치원·학교 475곳"". 연합뉴스. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  37. ↑ "S Korea cuts interest rates to record low amid Mers concerns". BBC News . Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  38. 1 2 "South Korea MERS death toll at 20; 8 more cases diagnosed". CNN International. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  39. ↑ "Virus Testing Blitz Appears to Keep Korea Death Rate Low". Bloomberg.com. 4 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.