Surveillance and Testing for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus, Saudi Arabia, April 2015-February 2016

Emerg Infect Dis. 2017 Apr;23(4):682-685. doi: 10.3201/eid2304.161793.

Abstract

Saudi Arabia has reported >80% of the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) cases worldwide. During April 2015-February 2016, Saudi Arabia identified and tested 57,363 persons (18.4/10,000 residents) with suspected MERS-CoV infection; 384 (0.7%) tested positive. Robust, extensive, and timely surveillance is critical for limiting virus transmission.

Keywords: MERS-CoV; Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus; Saudi Arabia; infection control; respiratory infections; surveillance; surveillance practices; testing; transmission; viruses; zoonoses.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus / isolation & purification*
  • Population Surveillance
  • Saudi Arabia / epidemiology
  • Young Adult