Korea reports 3 more cases, healthy birth after MERS
Lisa Schnirring
CIDRAP News
Jun 23, 2015
South Korean health officials reported three more MERS-CoV infections today, lifting the total to 175 cases, and said a 39-year woman who just recovered from her illness safely gave birth to a baby boy.
In related developments, experts from three health groups yesterday said South Korea’s experience and the continued threat of imported cases is a reminder that US facilities should shore up their infection control practices. They also recommended key preparedness steps so the country doesn’t repeat some of the stumbles that occurred in the Ebola outbreak.
Delivery after MERS recovery
The Korean woman was exposed to MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) while visiting her mother in Samsung Medical Center’s emergency department (ED) in late May, the Korea Herald reported today.
Her visit to the hospital in Seoul took place at a time when a man who unknowingly brought the disease from the first affected hospital was in the ED for nearly 3 days and was observed coughing and moving around during his stay. The man’s visit triggered a gush of MERS cases at Samsung, which has been linked to more than 80 cases.
Both the woman’s mother and father were infected with MERS-CoV because of their exposures at Samsung’s ED.
The pregnant woman tested positive for MERS-CoV on Jun 11, and she was hospitalized at Samsung, where her main symptom was mild muscle pain, the Herald reported.
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