[An earlier post of July 15th, speaks of the Gov's lax position, located here]
July 17, 2013
With the spread of the SARS-like Middle East coronavirus in many
countries, the Centre has asked all states for increasing surveillance
and keeping a close vigil on those travelling to Gulf nations.
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) can cause
fever, coughing and pneumonia. It is related to Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and its symptoms are also similar to H1N1 or
Swine flu.
The virus has already killed more than 45 people across the world
and its impact is more visible in the middle east countries. The
largest number of deaths have taken place in Saudi Arabia. It has
sparked fears of a SARS-like outbreak in Asia which left 800 people dead
in 2003. So far, no case of MERS has been reported in India.
In a circular issued to all states, the Health Ministry has said
that the virus has become a global threat and patients with travel
history to the Middle East, China and Taiwan who show signs of
respiratory discomfort should be reported and kept under surveillance.
The Ministry has also asked the state health officials under the
Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) to keep a vigil.
Sources in the Ministry said a total of 81 cases have been reported cross the world with WHO.
Doctors said the symptoms for the virus are similar to that in
swine flu where a patient suffers acute respiratory problems. Doctors
say the infection leads to pneumonia which can prove fatal.
The Health Ministry advisory has asked the states to inform the
hospitals in each district to collect samples of patients with such
symptoms where H1N1 is found negative and said such samples should be
sent to National Institute of Virology in Pune and the National Centre
for Disease Control in Delhi.
WHO's International Health Regulation Emergency Committee on MERS
is meeting in Geneva today to work out a strategy to tackle the virus.
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