[Infections with new human Betacoronavirus 2c EMC/2012 (hCoV-EMC)]

An unknown Coronavirus (hCoV-EMC) was first isolated retrospectively in September 2012 from sputum of a 60 year old Saudi Arabian patient, who suffered from acute respiratory failure followed by renal failure and died already in June 2012. The clinical findings were highly similar to those presented in the severe diseases seen in the SARS pandemic in 2003. Also the hCoV-E M C is genetically related to animal Coronaviruses (in bats) and caused 9 affirmed severe human infections leading to 5 deaths by now.The following article should give a short overview concerning the current knowledge about the new human Coronavirus as well as information about the official disease definition and registration procedures in Germany (Robert Koch-Institut).