中東呼吸症候群與感染控制

中東呼吸症候群冠狀病毒（MERS-CoV）是一株新型，可以感染人類呼吸道的冠狀病毒，感染後可以引起發燒、呼吸道及其他系統疾病，稱之為中東呼吸症候群冠狀病毒感染症（MERS）。自2012 年9 月23日，世界衛生組織公布最初兩例個案以來，至今總共在全世界造成1618 個案感染，含579 例死亡，死亡率約為40%，主要分布在中東地區。最近，自2015 年5 月開始至2015 年7 月4 日止的群突發，總共造成了韓國186 個個案包含36 例死亡以及中國大陸的一位境外移入個案。此病毒已具有一定人傳人的傳染力，但目前的傳染途徑仍不明。吾輩須提高警覺並小心防範，特別加強疑似病人之旅遊史、職業史、接觸史及群聚史的問診，並做好一切必要之感控措施，避免大流行再度發生。

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), is a new respiratory virus to human. Many people infected with MERS-CoV developed severe illness, including fever, respiratory and other systemic disorder. It was first reported on September 23, 2012 by the World Health Organization and infected 1618 peoples, including 579 deaths, majority in the Middle East. Recently, there is an outbreak developed from May 4, 2015 to July 4, 2015 in Republic of Korea, infected 186 peoples, including 36 deaths and one immigrant case to China. The newly isolated MERS-CoV still was not well understood, especially about the transmissibility of this virus. At this stage, we should remain vigilant, take precautions, enhance the awareness of travel, occupational, contact, and cluster history inquiry of any suspected patients, and make all necessary infection control measures to avoid another pandemic.