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. 2017 Apr;23(4):682-685.
doi: 10.3201/eid2304.161793.

Surveillance and Testing for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus, Saudi Arabia, April 2015-February 2016

Abdulaziz A Bin Saeed, Glen R Abedi, Abdullah G Alzahrani, Iyad Salameh, Fatima Abdirizak, Raafat Alhakeem, Homoud Algarni, Osman A El Nil, Mutaz Mohammed, Abdullah M Assiri, Hail M Alabdely, John T Watson, Susan I Gerber

Surveillance and Testing for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus, Saudi Arabia, April 2015-February 2016

Abdulaziz A Bin Saeed et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2017 Apr.

Abstract

Saudi Arabia has reported >80% of the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) cases worldwide. During April 2015-February 2016, Saudi Arabia identified and tested 57,363 persons (18.4/10,000 residents) with suspected MERS-CoV infection; 384 (0.7%) tested positive. Robust, extensive, and timely surveillance is critical for limiting virus transmission.

Keywords: MERS-CoV; Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus; Saudi Arabia; infection control; respiratory infections; surveillance; surveillance practices; testing; transmission; viruses; zoonoses.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Reporting pathway for data regarding persons tested for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection to the Health Electronic Surveillance Network (HESN), Saudi Arabia, 2014–2016.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Number persons tested and percent positive for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, Saudi Arabia, April 1, 2015–February 1, 2016.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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