MERS in South Korea and China: a potential outbreak threat?
First reported in September, 2012, human infections with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) can result in severe respiratory disease, characterised by life-threatening pneumonia and renal failure. Countries with primary infections of MERS-CoV are located in the Middle East, but cases have been occasionally exported in other countries (fi gure). Human-to-human infections of MERS-CoV are rare and confi rmed cases are usually traced back to contact with camels, an intermediate host species for MERS-CoV. (Correspondence)