Over 680 people have been put under quarantine in South Korea after coming into contact with patients diagnosed with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome.
At least 18 cases of MERS have been confirmed in the country, including the first case with which all the others have been connected to. The other cases were either visitors or patients in the hospital where a 68-year-old man was treated after returning from Bahrain via Qatar. The people under quarantine were either family members or medical staff assigned to care for the patients confirmed to be infected with the MERS virus. They were isolated in state-run facilities or their homes.
Last week, China also had its first confirmed case of MERS, who happened to be the son of one of the patients. He ignored his doctor's orders to postpone his trip and was diagnosed with the disease in China. The man has been isolated at a Chinese hospital while 18 other travelers were quarantined as they were in close proximity with the South Korean. However, the other travelers were not showing symptoms of MERS.
All over the world, there are 1,150 confirmed cases of MERS, according to the World Health Organization. Out of this number, 427 have succumbed to the disease. But given the spike in quarantines in South Korea, the WHO has not recommended travel restrictions for the country nor the screening of passengers.
According to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, South Korea's 18 MERS cases puts the country in the fourth spot for the highest number of cases confirmed. At first place is Saudi Arabia, followed by the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.
South Korean public health officials are facing a lot of criticism for failing to prevent the spread of MERS in the country after the first case was overlooked. The man had initially gone to a hospital complaining of flu-like symptoms but had not disclosed recently traveling to the Middle East so he was sent home. He was rushed back to the hospital when his symptoms worsened.
In light of hundreds being quarantined in the country, South Korean president Park Geun-Hye called for an investigation.
"We must find the reason for the high rate of transmission unlike in the cases of other countries," she said in a meeting Monday.
MERS was first discovered back in 2012. Cases mostly occurred in Saudi Arabia, which may have to do with camels primarily spreading the virus. It belongs to the same coronavirus family which includes SARS and the common cold and presents flu-like symptoms, compounded by breathing problems, kidney failure and pneumonia.
Photo: Craig Howell | Flickr
