S China J Prev Med ›› 2015, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (5): 303-306.doi: 10.13217/j.scjpm.2015.0303

• Original Article •     Next Articles

Emergency response to the first imported case of Middle East respiratory syndrome in China

SONG Tie1,ZHONG Hao-jie1,LIANG Li-huan2,KANG Min1,XIAO He-long2,ZHONG Yu-wen1,HOU Jie3,WANG Jun3,KE Chang-wen1,ZHANG Yan-ping4,LI Jian-sen1,FANG Yan1,LIN Jin-yan1   

  1. 1.Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou 511430, China;2.Huizhou Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention;3.Guangdong Field Epidemiology Training Program;4.Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Online:2015-08-20 Published:2015-10-12

Abstract: ObjectiveTo summarize experience of the response to China's first imported case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection and provide scientific basis for similar outbreak control in future.MethodsField epidemiological data, government decision-making information, and laboratory testing results were collected during response period and analyzed using descriptive epidemiology methods.ResultsChina's first imported MERS-CoV infection case, whose father and sister were Korea's third and fourth MERS-CoV cases, entered Huizhou City, Guangdong Province, via Hong Kong SAR from the Republic of Korea.Moreover, the case had exposed to Korea's first MERS-CoV case's ward before the onset of illness.Specimens of throat swab, sputum, blood, and stool were collected from the imported patient for detecting MERS-CoV by using the real-time RT-PCR method.The MERS-CoV nucleic acid was confirmed to be positive.Furthermore, a total of 75 close contacts with the patient and 31 general contacts were traced and isolated for medical observation for 14 days in the mainland of China, but no second generation cases were found by laboratory testing.ConclusionAccording to epidemiological information, clinical data and etiology testing results, the patient was confirmed as the China's first imported MERS-CoV case in the mainland of China, but no secondary cases were found among the contacts of the patient.

CLC Number: 

  • R183.3