Pre-demic
The Korea National Institute of Health has found out that the MERS-CoV in Korea is 99.82 percent identical to that in Saudi Arabia, where the infection originated. Still, the number of patients amounted to 50 in Korea as of June 6, the third-largest amount in the world, while only a couple of patients have been reported in most countries except for Saudi Arabia (1,019 patients including 450 deceased) and the U.A.E. (76 including 10 deceased). Under the circumstances, experts are paying close attention as to why the virus has spread so fast in Korea.
Pharmacologist Song Dae-sup at Korea University mentioned the current climate of Korea as a reason. “Although nothing has been clarified yet, it seems that today’s dry and warm weather is suitable for the survival of the virus that is vulnerable to high or low temperature and humidity,” he said.
Another possible reason is the hospital environments in Korea, that is, a number of sickbeds in a single hospital room and a higher frequency of contact between patients and their family members visiting them. The virus spread particularly fast between the aged having less immunity. As of June 6, 30 percent of the 50 patients were those aged at least 65, and three out of the four deceased were in the same age group.
It is said that the Korean government was also rather slow to contain and cope with the virus as well. The first patient was isolated about 10 days after the appearance of the symptoms on May 11, and two other patients were moved from hospital to hospital without any isolation to cause tertiary infection.