November 19, 2013 19:07:44pm GMT
WorldStage
Newsonline-- The World Health Organisation (WHO) in a statement on
Tuesday placed all health care providers on red alert on possible
outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI).
WHO urges all countries to maintain their surveillance for SARI and to carefully review any unusual patterns.
It
said recent travellers returning from the Middle East who develop SARI
should be tested for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus
(MERS-CoV) as advised in the current surveillance recommendations.
Globally,
from September 2012 to date, WHO has been informed of a total of 157
laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including 66
death.
WHO
also informed of an additional two laboratory-confirmed cases of
infection with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)
from Kuwait. The first patient, the statement noted, is a 47 year-old
man who became ill on 30 October 2013 and was hospitalised on 7 November
2013. He is in critical condition. The second patient is a 52-year-old
man with underlying medical conditions. He became ill on 7 November and
was hospitalised on 10 November 2013. He is in critical condition.
Patients
diagnosed and reported to date have had respiratory disease as their
primary illness. Diarrhoea is commonly reported among the patients and
severe complications include renal failure and acute respiratory
distress syndrome (ARDS) with shock. It is possible that severely
immunocompromised patients can present with atypical signs and symptoms.
Health
care facilities, WHO stated 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,” it said.
"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
has convened an Emergency Committee under the International Health
Regulations (IHR) to advise the Director-General on the status of the
current situation. The Emergency Committee, which comprises
international experts from all WHO Regions, unanimously advised that,
with the information now available, and using a risk-assessment
approach, the conditions for a Public Health Emergency of International
Concern (PHEIC) have not at present been met."
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