Topological dynamics of the 2015 South Korea MERS-CoV spread-on-contact networks

Abstract

network analysis to examine infectious contact relations provides an important means to uncover the topologies of individual infectious contact networks. this study aims to investigate the spread of diseases among individuals over contact networks by exploring the 2015 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MeRS) outbreak in Korea. We present several distinct features of MeRS transmission by employing a comprehensive approach in network research to examine both the traced relationship matrix of infected individuals and their bipartite transmission routes among healthcare facilities visited for treatment. the results indicate that a few super-spreaders were more likely to hold certain structural advantages by linking to an exceptional number of other individuals, causing several ongoing transmission events in neighbourhoods without the aid of any intermediary. thus, the infectious contact network exhibited small-world dynamics characterised by locally clustered contacts exposed to transmission paths via short path lengths. in addition, nosocomial infection analysis shows the pattern of a common-source outbreak followed by secondary person-to-person transmission of the disease. Based on the results, we suggest policy implications related to the redesign of prevention and control strategies against the spread of epidemics. open Scientific RepoRtS | (2020) 10:4327 | https://doi.

Beyond the fear: Nurses’ experiences caring for patients with Middle East respiratory syndrome: A phenomenological study

“…When newly emerging infectious diseases occur, the cause of the disease and its path of transmission are not clear (Yang & Jung, 2020); thus, healthcare workers who are in contact with patients feel more fear than do the general public owing to uncertainty about the nature of the disease's transmission and progression and their anxieties about death (Abolfotouh et al, 2017;Alsubaie et al, 2019;Park, Lee, Park, & Choi, 2018).…”

COVID-19 in comparison with other emerging viral diseases: risk of geographic spread via travel

“…With regards to MERS, Saudi Arabia (KSA) so far has carried the greatest brunt of MERS-CoV since its emergence, with 85% of the total global reported cases being either diagnosed or originating in KSA, with a total of 1897 cases and 734 fatalities. The second major outbreak was due to exportation of MERS from Saudi Arabia via a business traveler to South Korea resulting in an explosive but in the end contained outbreak in 2015 [ 28 ]. Lessons learned from the MERS outbreak were the foundation of Korea’s enhanced pandemic preparedness plans which enabled the country to successfully curb the COVID-19 outbreak in Korea in early 2020.…”

Prediction of the COVID-19 epidemic trends based on SEIR and AI models

“…Among them, the genus β -coronavirus of the coronavirus [ 3 ] family poses a continuing threat to human health due to its high transmission efficiency, severe infection consequences, and unpredictable timing of epidemics [ 4 ]. Over the past few decades, humans have faced many challenges with viral respiratory infections, including SARS-COV in China in 2002 [ 5 , 6 ], H1N1 [ 7 ] in Mexico in 2009 [ 8 ] and MERS-COV in Saudi Arabia in 2012 [ 9 , 10 ].…”