China upgrades surveillance and control measures of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)

Three years after the identification of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Saudi Arabia, the first case of MERS in China was reported on May 29, 2015. Although the Chinese government issued the MERS Prevention and Control Plan in 2013, a novel edition was released on June 5, 2015 to better cope with the current epidemic situation. The revised Plan refines the descriptions in case-finding and establishment of case-monitoring systems. In addition, tougher regulations on close contacts of confirmed patients and suspected cases are introduced in this new Plan. It is expected these countermeasures will play a greater role in surveilling and controlling MERS in China.