MERS Outbreak Continues in South Korea

MERS. In the past three months, this four-letter word has quickly risen from obscurity to become a household name in South Korea. MERS, or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, has led to the temporary closure of hundreds of schools, economic turbulence, and 27 deaths. Since it's initial diagnosis in South Korea on May 20, 2015, it has rapidly spread throughout the nation. Today, over 6,700 people have been placed in quarantine as the East Asian nation struggles to contain this deadly outbreak[i].

So what exactly is Middle East Respiratory Syndrome? As the name indicates, MERS was discovered three years ago in the Middle East as a novel respiratory virus. Prior to South Korea, incidences of the illness were almost exclusively in Saudi Arabia. Common symptoms include fever, coughing, and shortness of breath[ii]. Like the infamous SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), both derive from the same viral family, target the respiratory system, and seem to be able to transmit from animals to humans (known as zoonotic virus).

Given its relatively recent discovery, information regarding the origin, behavior, and treatment of MERS remain scarce. Strains of the virus have been found in dromedary camels in the Middle East. As a result of these discoveries, one possible source of transmission may be from direct contact with camels. Once infected, it appears that limited human-to-human transmission is possible. This seems particularly prevalent in healthcare facilities with limited hygienic protocol[iii]. Currently, no vaccine exists. While health organizations like the U.S. National Institute of Health may seek possibilities of developing a cure, current treatment emphasizes prevention and relief of symptoms[iv].

So how did a virus transmitted from camels outbreak in South Korea? On May 4th, 2015, a 68-year-old man returned to South Korea after visiting a few Middle Eastern countries. After a little over 2 weeks, the man was officially diagnosed with MERS. Despite government reassurances of containment, the virus has now spread to 84 hospitals, 175 individuals, and nearly 7,000 people are in quarantine [v].

Amid escalating fears, the South Korean economy, especially tourism, has taken a hit. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, more than 120,000 tourists have cancelled their trips to South Korea since June 1^st [vi]. Total economic growth is expected to slow down from 3.3% last year to around 2.8% this year, with fears of MERS cited as a  major reason for the decline [vii].

However, the probability of MERS escalating into a pandemic remains scarce. Although the fatality rate is around 14%, almost all of the 27 deaths have occurred in elderly patients or those with pre-existing illnesses. Furthermore, an epidemic curve recently published by the World Health Organization indicates that the prevalence of MERS in South Korea is clearly falling from its peak in early June [viii].

While data points to the slow but steady decline of MERS in South Korea, it remains to be seen what the total effects of this outbreak will be. Often times, public perception of a disease as a far greater impact than the number of fatalities itself.  But for now, South Korea continues to fight this national outbreak with hopes of eradication in the near future.

-Kai

---

[i] Shankar, Sneha. "MERS Outbreak 2015: South Korea Death Toll Rises To 23, 3 New Cases Diagnosed." International Business Times. IBT Media Inc, 18 June 2015. Web. 23 June 2015.

[ii] Zaki, Ali Moh. "Brief Report: Isolation of a Novel Coronavirus from a Man with Pneumonia in Saudi Arabia." New England Journal of Medicine N Engl J Med 369.4 (2013): 394. Virology-Bonn. New England Journal of Medicine, 12 Oct. 2012. Web. 23 June 2015.

[iii] WHO. "Frequently Asked Questions on Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS‐CoV)." WHO. World Health Organization, 12 June 2015. Web. 23 June 2015.

[iv] CDC. "Prevention & Treatment." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 02 June 2015. Web. 23 June 2015.

[v] Shankar, Sneha. "MERS Outbreak 2015: South Korea Death Toll Rises To 23, 3 New Cases Diagnosed." International Business Times. IBT Media Inc, 18 June 2015. Web. 23 June 2015.

[vi] Lee, Jiyeun. "Your Web Search Tells Us MERS Is Hurting Korea's Economy."Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg, 22 June 2015. Web. 23 June 2015.

[vii] Sang-hun, Choe. "South Korean Retailers Pinched by MERS." The New York Times. The New York Times, 22 June 2015. Web. 23 June 2015.

[viii] Butler, Declan. "‘Reassuring’ Data Show Slowdown in South Korean MERS Outbreak." Nature.com. Nature Publishing Group, 16 June 2015. Web. 23 June 2015.