Crisis prevention and management by infection control nurses during the Middle East respiratory coronavirus outbreak in Korea

Abstract

A Middle East respiratory coronavirus (MERS-CoV) outbreak occurred in Korea between June 20 and July 28, 2015. A total of 186 patients were confirmed as being infected with MERS-CoV, 36 of whom died. Infection control nurses referred to hospital guidelines to address the screening and isolation needs of patients and instigated a variety of infection control activities to prevent MERS-CoV transmission at the frontlines of patient care. Their concerted effort is believed to have been instrumental in ending the outbreak. (C) 2016 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.