29 May 2013 -
The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia has notified WHO of an
additional five laboratory-confirmed cases with Middle East respiratory
syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).
All five patients are from the Eastern region of the country,
but not from Al-Ahsa, where an outbreak began in a health care facility
in April 2013. The patients had underlying medical conditions which
required multiple hospital visits. The government is conducting
investigations into the likely source of infection in both the health
care and the community settings.
The first patient is a 56-year-old man with underlying medical
conditions, who became ill on 12 May 2013 and died on 20 May 2013. The
second patient is an 85-year-old woman with underling medical
conditions who became ill on 17 May and is currently in critical
condition. The third patient is a 76-year-old woman with underlying
medical conditions who became ill on 24 May 2013 and was discharged from
the hospital on 27 May 2013. The fourth patient is a 77-year-old man
with underlying medical conditions who became ill on 19 May and died on
26 May 2013. The fifth patient is a 73-year-old man with underlying
medical conditions who became ill on 18 May and died on 26 May 2013.
Additionally, a patient earlier reported from Al-Ahsa, an
81-year-old woman has died. The government is continuing to investigate
the outbreaks in the country.
In France, the first laboratory-confirmed case in the country, with recent travel from the United Arab Emirates has died.
Globally, from September 2012 to date, WHO has been informed
of a total of 49 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV,
including 27 deaths.
WHO has received reports of laboratory-confirmed cases
originating in the following countries in the Middle East to date:
Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
France, Germany, Tunisia and the United Kingdom also reported
laboratory-confirmed cases; they were either transferred for care of the
disease or returned from the Middle East and subsequently became ill.
In France, Tunisia and the United Kingdom, there has been limited local
transmission among patients who had not been to the Middle East but had
been in close contact with the laboratory-confirmed or probable cases.
Based on the current situation and available information, WHO
encourages all Member States to continue their surveillance for severe
acute respiratory infections (SARI) and to carefully review any unusual
patterns.
Health care providers are advised to maintain vigilance.
Recent travellers returning from the Middle East who develop SARI should
be tested for MERS-CoV as advised in the current surveillance
recommendations. Specimens from patients’ lower respiratory tracts
should be obtained for diagnosis where possible. Clinicians are reminded
that MERS-CoV infection should be considered even with atypical signs
and symptoms, such as diarrhoea, in patients who are immunocompromised.
Health care facilities are reminded of the importance of
systematic implementation of infection prevention and control (IPC).
Health care facilities that provide care for patients suspected or
confirmed with MERS-CoV infection should take appropriate measures to
decrease the risk of transmission of the virus to other patients, health
care workers and visitors.
All Member States are reminded to promptly assess and notify
WHO of any new case of infection with MERS-CoV, along with information
about potential exposures that may have resulted in infection and a
description of the clinical course. Investigation into the source of
exposure should promptly be initiated to identify the mode of exposure,
so that further transmission of the virus can be prevented.
WHO does not advise special screening at points of entry with
regard to this event nor does it currently recommend the application of
any travel or trade restrictions.
WHO continues to closely monitor the situation.
http://www.who.int/csr/don/2013_05_29_ncov/en/index.html
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