In preparation for potential importation of MERS-CoV cases from South Korea, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) has planned to distribute MERS-CoV Health Advice pamphlets to all passengers on flights arriving in Taiwan from South Korea. The first batch of 220,000 pamphlets were published and sent to the Civil Aeronautics Administration for distribution to airline companies. So far, both China Airlines and EVA Air have received the pamphlets on June 3, 2015 and would start distributing the pamphlets to passengers on flights arriving from Korea beginning June 4.

To increase clinician and patient awareness of the need to consider MERS-CoV infection and discuss travel, occupation, contact, and cluster (TOCC) history, Taiwan CDC has produced posters to be put up at health units and healthcare facilities. Travelers who have visited South Korea and the Middle East during the past 14 days and developed respiratory symptoms are urged to put on a facemask and notify the physician of their recent travel history voluntarily.

On June 5, South Korean health officials announced 5 more MERS-CoV cases, raising the total number of cases to 35, including 2 deaths. Tertiary infections have continued to occur. The possibility of more cases in Korea remains. The newly confirmed cases are four mean and one women aged between 25 and 69. Thus far, besides the index patient, a total of 29 secondary infections and 5 tertiary infections have been confirmed.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), during September 2012 and June 3, 2015, a total of 1,179 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including 442 related deaths, have been confirmed. Thus far, MERS-CoV has been reported in 25 countries. The majority of the cases were reported in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar. Among these countries, Saudi Arabia has reported the most cases. Currently, Taiwan CDC has issued a travel notice of Level 2: Alert for MERS-CoV to Saudi Arabia and Seoul (including Gyeonggi Province), Korea, and a travel notice of Level 1: Watch for MERS-CoV to UAE, Jordan, Qatar, Iran, Oman and Bahrain.

Travelers planning to visit affected areas are urged to pay attention to personal hygiene, respiratory protection and hand cleanliness and avoid visiting hospitals and a all direct contact with camels, including drinking un-pasteurized camel milk, to reduce the risk of infection. If you have experienced symptoms such as fever, cough or influenza-like illness, and diarrhea after returning to Taiwan from affected area, please notify the quarantine officer at the quarantine station at airports/harbors immediately and put on a surgical mask and seek immediate medical attention and inform your physician of any recent travel and exposure history. Taiwan CDC urges physicians to be sure to inquire suspected patients their exposure and travel history and reinforce the reporting of suspected cases to ensure prompt treatment and subsequent implementation of the relevant prevention and control measures. For more information, please visit the Taiwan CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw or call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Consultation Hotline, 1922 (or 0800-001922).