# 9546
Despite it’s proximity to Saudi Arabia, Oman hasn’t exactly been a hotbed of coronavirus activity, with only two other cases (both fatal) reported in the past. The last case was reported just over a year ago (see Oman Reports Second MERS-CoV Fatality), but today there are media reports of a 3rd – fatal – case.
Oman’s Ministry of Health’s website doesn’t seem to have posted yet, but we have a couple of reports from the Arabic press.
This from the Saudi Press agency:
General / death patient was diagnosed with Corona virus in Oman
Muscat, 17 March 1436, corresponding to January 8, 2015, SPA
died of a person infected with HIV (Corona) that causes AIDS Middle East respiratory in the Sultanate of Oman, in the case is the third of its kind in Oman after nearly a full year from the occurrence of the above two cases.
The Ministry of Health of Oman in a statement today continued its efforts to monitor and control the disease through effective surveillance system in place and the readiness of all referral hospitals to deal with such cases.
// // ended
And this report from Al-Shabiba.
man recorded a third case of death due to La Coruna
08-01-2015
Muscat - Oman
Ministry of Health announced on the status of the death of the patient was diagnosed disease that causes respiratory syndrome Middle East Corona virus where it is the third case of its kind in Oman after nearly a full year of a two extremes
The ministry said in a statement today the continuation of its efforts to monitor and control the disease through effective surveillance system in place and the readiness of all referral hospitals to deal with such cases
She commended the Ministry of Health and the role of members of the community to contribute to the prevention of the spread of infectious diseases, infection, emphasizing the need to adhere to the preventive measures and follow healthy habits when sneezing and coughing and take care of personal hygiene, especially hand hygiene, where he and until the present time has not discovered a vaccine to protect against the disease or specific treatment for him
The ministry noted the need for caution when dealing with animals, especially the beauty and appealed to people who suffer from respiratory symptoms as cases of influenza follow healthy behaviors when sneezing and coughing and keep them off at a distance from the others and avoid mixing with them
Despite the relatively small number of human infections reported out of Oman, in 2013 (see Lancet: Camels Found With Antibodies To MERS-CoV-Like Virus) researchers found a high seroprevalence of antibodies to MERS-CoV in Omani camels. From that report:
While no MERS-CoV antibodies were detected among the 160 cattle, sheep, and goat samples gathered from the Netherlands and Spain, specific antibodies to the MERS coronavirus were detected in all 50 of the dromedary camel samples gathered (from multiple locations) in Oman.
Although we only have a few years experience with this pathogen, the winter and spring months have provided major upticks in infections across the Arabian peninsula, and a link to the seasonal calving of camels is suspected.
