Table 5.

Revised interim case definition for reporting to WHO: MERS-CoV.^a

Probable case
Three combinations of clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory criteria can define a probable case:
A person with a febrile acute respiratory illness with clinical, radiological, or histopathological evidence of pulmonary parenchymal disease (e.g., pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome) AND Testing for MERS-CoV is unavailable or negative on a single inadequate specimen AND The patient has a direct epidemiological link with a confirmed MERS-CoV case.
A person with a febrile acute respiratory illness with clinical, radiological, or histopathological evidence of pulmonary parenchymal disease (e.g., pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome) AND An inconclusive MERS-CoV laboratory test (i.e., a positive screening test without confirmation) AND A resident of or traveler to Middle Eastern countries where MERS-CoV virus is believed to be circulating in 14 days before onset of illness.
A person with an acute febrile respiratory illness of any severity AND An inconclusive MERS-CoV laboratory test (i.e., a positive screening test without confirmation) AND The patient has a direct epidemiological-link with a confirmed MERS-CoV case.2
Confirmed case A person with laboratory confirmation of MERS-CoV infection.

^ahttp://www.who.int/csr/disease/coronavirus_infections/case_definition/en/index.html

MERS-CoV: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, WHO: World Health Organization.