HEALTH GALLERY

  With the number of MERS-infected patients increasing in South Korea, some of the general opinion on Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) are becoming doubtable. It’s been confirmed that the type of MERS virus in Korea is same with the one in Middle East Region. However, MERS virus seems to spread beyond Korean authority’s expectation due to Korean own hospital culture and environmental features.

  This posting is all about some new findings or doubts on MERS virus so far in South Korea. It will be helpful to read '10 things you must know about MERS Infographic' published by the Ministry of Health & Welfare on 4 June. 

Transmission

• Within 2m -> Far further than 2m
• Over 1hour -> For about 10 minutes

  It has been widely known that MERS virus spread through droplet infection but it doesn’t seem to apply to Korean MERS outbreak. It spread to not only the people who shared the same room with the initial patient but the one in other rooms at the same level and even on the other floors in Pyeongtaek St. Mary’s Hospital where caused the first MERS epidemic trend in Korea. It was assumed that it kept spreading by medical staff’s gown or conditioning equipment in the hospital.

Contagiosity

• 0.6~0.8 person by one patient -> multiplied infected people by one person
• Weakens after the first generation -> Similar to 1, 2, and 3 generation

  There is a big difference at the contagiosity between Korea and the Middle East. In the Middle East, one person transmitted MERS virus to 0.6~0.8 person statistically. However, the first MERS diagnosed man (68, case 1) in South Korea had 30 people infected to MERS virus. Also, case 14 (35), also known as a super spreader, had over 70 number of citizen diagnosed with MERS virus. Moreover, case 15 (35), case 16 (40) made multiple number of patients infected by MERS virus. This is not yet finished. The case 14 was one of the 2nd generation of MERS virus and he actually transmitted it to far more number of people than the Case 1 did.

Age

• Mostly the aged -> increasing the younger
• 56 people under 50 years old, which is 37.3%
• 3 out of 5 newly diagnosed patients on June 14 are in their 30~40

  According to the statistics released by the Ministry of Health and Welfare on June 15, 37.3% out of 150 number of patients are under 50 years old. Still many believe that MERS virus affects mostly to the aged over 65. Against expectations, 3 out of 5 patients were diagnosed with MERS virus on 14 June, and they were all between 30 and 40 years old. One argument insisted that MERS is mostly contagious among the elderly but it is now losing its evidence.

Incubation period

• 2 weeks -> Probably 6 weeks according to a study from Saudi Arabia

  There is a question on MERS incubation period that is generally known to be two weeks. Yet, no MERS virus incubated over 2 weeks in Korea. However, some people argue that it can incubate for 6 weeks as a woman in Saudi Arabia had carried the MERS virus for 6 weeks since her first diagnosis.

Notice: I translated this original article in Korean to English. However, I am not a professional reporter or translator so my English article may not be accurate as much as the original Korean article is. Hope you understand this. 
Source: http://www.munhwa.com/news/view.html?no=2015061501070221080001 (Latest Update: 2015-June-15 11:51)