Abstract
As at 15 June 2015, a large transmission cluster of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERSCoV)was ongoing in South Korea. To examine the potential for such events, we estimated the level of heterogeneity in MERS-CoV transmission by analyzing data on cluster size distributions. We found substantial potential for superspreading; even though it is likely that R0 < 1 overall, our analysis indicates that cluster sizes of over 150 cases are not unexpected forMERS-CoV infection.
Publication types
- Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
MeSH terms
- Cluster Analysis
- Coronavirus / isolation & purification
- Coronavirus / pathogenicity*
- Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology
- Coronavirus Infections / transmission*
- Coronavirus Infections / virology
- Disease Outbreaks
- Humans
- Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus / isolation & purification
- Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus / pathogenicity
- Republic of Korea / epidemiology
- Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / epidemiology
- Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / transmission*
- Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / virology