key: cord-0791389-hmj0qu0v authors: Wiwanitkit, Somsri; Wiwanitkit, Viroj title: Korean MERS: A new cross continent emerging infectious disease date: 2015-10-31 journal: Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Disease DOI: 10.1016/s2222-1808(15)60941-0 sha: ce811a277673b9139bd85c42a9bf45aa2cf679d7 doc_id: 791389 cord_uid: hmj0qu0v Abstract Middle East respiratory syndrome is a new emerging infectious disease that was firstly detected in the Middle East. This disease can cause severe respiratory illness and was proved to be a coronavirus infection. The infection was firstly confined within the Middle East. However, the new emergence of this infection is in Korea and Korean Middle East respiratory syndrome becomes the new concern in public health. In this brief article, the authors discuss on this new cross continent emerging infectious disease. Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is a new emerging infectious disease that was firstly detected in the Middle East [1] [2] [3] . The infection was firstly confined within the Middle East. The first case was from Saudi Arabia in 2012. As noted by Banik et al. [4] , since its discovery in 2012, MERS coronavirus has reached 23 countries affecting about 1 100 people, including a dozen children, and claiming over 400 lives. This disease can cause severe respiratory illness and was proved to be a coronavirus infection [5, 6] . Acute respiratory distress can be difficult to clinically differential diagnose from other acute respiratory viral disease [7] . In 2015, the new emergence of this infection is in Korea and Korean MERS becomes the new concern in public health [8] . In this brief article, the authors discuss on this new cross continent emerging infectious disease. As noted, MERS, by its name, is primary existed in the Middle East. The identification of the virus is reported from many countries in this area and can also be seen in the nearby area. The report of virus in the camels from Egypt is an interesting finding indicating that the virus has already moved out of the Middle East for many years [9] . In 2013, there are case reports of infected patients in France [10] . The first patient visited Dubai and carried disease back to France [10] . The second patient got nosocomial infection without travel history [10] . In 2014, the first human infection in USA was reported and this brought several attentions from medical scientist due to the migration of disease to the western hemisphere [11, 12] . The case was a physician who imported disease from the Middle East. Kapoor et al. [13] In 2015, there is a new problem existed in Korea. A patient was identified to have MERS and the local Centers for Disease Control could not early identify this risk patient. The disease firstly occurred in May 20, 2015, then it spread to others and this resulted in local policy for school closing [11] . Quarantine of thousand people was also done. The widespread of the disease in this outbreak is believed to be due to the poor disease control system at the airport and the lack of concern on MERS and poor quarantine technique on the first group of patients. Of interest, the disease is still continuous (9 June, 2015) and there is a note to avoid travel to Korea due to MERS. Of interest, the outbreak generated from the first Korea case caused nationwide spreading and panic. But the disease already attacked many ones who contacted with the first patient including his friend from China [14] . The Middle East respiratory syndrome Novel Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus "MERS-CoV": current knowledge gaps The emergence of a new corona virus--MERS-CoV: hind sight is always 20/20 Are animals a bane for the spread of the deadly malady, the corona virus (MERS)? Chest CT findings in MERS South Korea scrambles to contain MERS virus MERS coronaviruses in dromedary camels Clinical features and viral diagnosis of two cases of infection with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus: a report of nosocomial transmission First patient with MERS in US is improving, but number of cases worldwide doubles in six weeks to 6 May First US MERS-CoV cases underscore need for preparedness Clinical and laboratory findings of the first imported case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus to the United States Spread of MERS to South Korea and China Origin and possible genetic recombination of the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus from the first imported case in China: phylogenetics and coalescence analysis Complete genome sequence of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) from the first imported MERS-CoV case in China Genomic sequencing and analysis of the first imported Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS CoV) in China Imported case of MERS-CoV infection identified in China MERS in South Korea and China: a potential outbreak threat? We declare that we have no conflict of interest.