Given that (i) there is no known zoonotic reservoir of
MERS-CoV in South Korea, (ii) the probability of further
foreign importation of infected cases appears to be
low because very few MERS cases have been identified
outside of the Middle East to date and (iii) infectiousness
is unlikely to precede symptom onset, the key to
controlling the present epidemic remains prompt recognition
and isolation of further cases through rigorous
contact tracing and close medical surveillance
of those quarantined. This also applies to other outbreaks
of MERS that may occur in the future. We estimated
that the incubation period had a 95th percentile
of 12.1 days, which supports the quarantine period of
two weeks currently recommended by public health
authorities.