title: The epidemiology of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2012-2015.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to review the epidemiology of cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) reported in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 2012 when the first MERS-CoV was confirmed up to July 2015.
  
  
  METHODS
  MERS-CoV data were obtained from the Saudi Ministry of Health for the period 2012 to July 2015. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the results regarding the risk factors and mortality of MERS-CoV infection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this series, the risk factors and outcomes of 939 cases of MERS-CoV occurring in the last 3 years are described. The majority of the affected patients were aged ≥40 years (n=657; 70%). Of the 657 patients aged ≥40 years, 377 (57.3%) died.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The case-fatality ratio was found to increase significantly with age. It ranged from 12.5% in those aged ≤19 years to 86.2% in those aged ≥80 years. The results confirmed the association between severe MERS-CoV illness and patients with a pre-existing health morbidity. The duration from symptom onset to admission was not statistically associated with the disease outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia. Electronic address: Abdullah.sahafi@monash.edu.
authors.forename: Abdullah J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Alsahafi
authors.affiliation: Infection Prevention and Healthcare Epidemiology Unit, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Allen C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Coronavirus; Coronavirus infections; Epidemiology; Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus; Risk factors