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2015 MERS outbreak in Korea: hospital-to-hospital transmission

Moran Ki1

  • 1Department of Cancer Control and Policy, Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.

Epidemiology and Health
|July 28, 2015
PubMed

Insights

The South Korean Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak highlighted unique hospital-to-hospital transmission patterns. This analysis underscores critical vulnerabilities in healthcare systems to infectious disease spread.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • The 2015 South Korean Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak was the largest outside the Middle East.
  • It involved 186 confirmed cases, including 36 fatalities, with most infections linked to hospital settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the distinct transmission characteristics of the MERS outbreak in South Korea.
  • To identify the role of the Korean healthcare system in shaping the outbreak's unique features.
  • To recommend improvements for hospital infection control and outbreak response.

Main Methods:

  • Descriptive analysis of MERS case data from South Korea (as of July 26, 2015).
  • Examination of transmission pathways, focusing on intra-hospital and hospital-to-hospital spread.
  • Assessment of the healthcare system's influence on outbreak dynamics.

Main Results:

  • The outbreak was primarily characterized by extensive intra-hospital and hospital-to-hospital transmission.
  • Most confirmed MERS cases were hospital-acquired infections.
  • The Korean healthcare system structure was a significant factor in the outbreak's transmission patterns.

Conclusions:

  • The South Korean MERS outbreak revealed critical vulnerabilities in hospital infection control.
  • Urgent short-term and long-term strategies are needed to address healthcare-associated infections.
  • Further discussion and sharing of MERS-related research are encouraged.
Keywords:
EpidemiologyHospital infectionKoreaMiddle East Respiratory Syndrome CoronavirusOutbreakStatistics

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