Credit: Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

On 8 September 2018, the Republic of Korea reported its first imported case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) since an outbreak in 2015. The case was a 61-year-old Korean man who had returned to the Republic of Korea on 7 September following a business trip to Kuwait.

When the patient reported his symptoms and travel history to a doctor upon arriving home, MERS was immediately suspected. Measures were put in place before the patient arrived at the hospital to minimize contact with others. The Government immediately notified the World Health Organization (WHO), which supported the country to conduct investigations and share information internationally. The national public health emergency operations centre kicked into action to coordinate the response.

As a result, further spread of the disease within the Republic of Korea was prevented.