Table 1.
Characteristics of laboratory-confirmed cases of MERS infection
| Year | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | Total | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of cases, n | 118 | 191 | 590 | 195 | 1094 | |
| Male | 63.6 | 75.9 | 66.3 | 82.6 | 70.6 | 0.000 |
| Saudi nationality | 73.7 | 57.1 | 82.7 | 94.4 | 79.3 | 0.000 |
| Admission to hospital | 89.8 | 89.5 | 95.6 | 13.3 | 79.3 | 0.000 |
| Background of contact with morbid case at home or hospital 1–14 days prior to the onset of symptoms | 45.8 | 26.2 | 37.1 | 50.3 | 38.5 | 0.000 |
| Background of contact with camel or camel milk 1–14 days prior to the onset of symptoms | 11.0 | 18.3 | 12.4 | 68.7 | 23.3 | 0.000 |
| Need for admission to negative pressure isolation room or ICU | 66.9 | 83.2 | 64.9 | 18.5 | 60.1 | 0.000 |
| Comorbidity | 6.8 | 18.8 | 53.2 | 39.0 | 39.7 | 0.000 |
| Morbid case is native | 98.3 | 85.9 | 81.7 | 79.5 | 83.8 | 0.000 |
| Mean age, years (SD) | 52.0 (19.5) | 49.4 (18.2) | 53.6 (17.9) | 54.5 (16.8) | 52.9 (18.0) | 0.016 |
| Travel history | 7.6 | 12.0 | 5.4 | 4.1 | 6.6 | 0.005 |
| Secondary case | 33.9 | 24.1 | 36.9 | 28.2 | 32.8 | 0.004 |
| Final outcome during or after occurrence (dead) | 60.2 | 48.7 | 31.5 | 36.4 | 38.5 | 0.000 |
Note: Data presented as percentage, unless otherwise stated.
Abbreviation: MERS, Middle East respiratory syndrome.