VITN Blog #2: South Korean Man Infected by MERS Virus, First Case in 3 Years

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is a viral respiratory disease that is caused by a novel coronavirus. Symptoms of the disease can include fever, shortness of breath, and assorted gastrointestinal problems. The disease has been fatal in about 33% of all reported cases. Unfortunately for many people with the disease, one can present as asymptomatic and still have MERS. The respiratory infection is thought to be carried by camels, while most human carriers spread the disease in a clinical setting. The disease was first observed in Saudi Arabia, hence the ‘Middle East’ portion of its name. Since it first seen in 2012, MERS has been documented in approximately 2200 people in 27 countries. The most recent outbreak of MERS occurred September 6th, 2018 in South Korea. According to Korea Center for Disease Control (KCDC), the 61-year-old infected man contracted the disease during his business trip to Kuwait. So far, KCDC authorities have quarantined 20 people the man has come in contact with. Officials in Korea are doing everything in their power to make sure the outbreak does not do as much as harm as it did last time in 2015 when its exposure lead to 38 fatalities.


(Check out the full story here: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/health/south-korean-man-infected-by-mers-virus-first-case-in-3-years-10697648)

-Ezra Yoseph