WHO MERS Infographic – June 2015
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The World Health Organization has released another update with details on 5 recent MERS cases in Saudi Arabia, 4 of which are part of the ongoing outbreak in Hofuf. Since mid-April we’ve seen more than 3 dozen cases – mostly linked to hospital exposure – emerge from that city.
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia
Disease outbreak news
23 June 2015Between 13 and 17 June 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 5 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection.
Details of the cases are as follows:
- A 28-year-old male from Hofuf city developed symptoms on 2 June. He works as an administrative assistant in a hospital that had been experiencing a MERS-CoV outbreak. The patient was in home isolation since the onset of symptoms; however, as symptoms worsened, he was admitted to hospital on 14 June. The patient, who has comorbidities, tested positive for MERS-CoV on 15 June. Investigation of epidemiological links with MERS-CoV cases admitted to the hospital where he works at, and of history of exposure to other known risk factors in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms is ongoing. Currently, the patient is in stable condition in a negative pressure isolation room on a ward.
- A 69-year-old female from Hofuf city developed symptoms on 12 June and was admitted to hospital on 13 June. The patient, who has comorbidities, tested positive for MERS-CoV on 14 June. She has a history of frequent visits to a hospital that had been experiencing a MERS-CoV outbreak. Investigation of epidemiological links with health care workers and MERS-CoV cases that were at the hospital, and of history of exposure to other known risk factors in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms is ongoing. Currently, the patient is in stable condition in a negative pressure isolation room on a ward.
- A 54-year-old female from Hofuf city developed symptoms on 5 June and, on 12 June, was admitted to a hospital that had been experiencing a MERS-CoV outbreak. The patient, who has comorbidities, tested positive for MERS-CoV on 13 June. Investigation of history of exposure to known risk factors in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms is ongoing. Currently, the patient is in stable condition in a negative pressure isolation room on a ward.
- A 46-year-old male from Hurimala city developed symptoms on 9 June and was admitted to hospital on 12 June. The patient, who has comorbidities, tested positive for MERS-CoV on 12 June. He has a history of contact with camels and consumption of their raw milk. The patient has no history of exposure to other known risk factors in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms. Currently, he is in stable condition in a negative pressure isolation room on a ward.
- A 55-year-old female from Hofuf city developed symptoms on 23 May and was admitted to hospital on 25 May. The patient, who has comorbidities, tested positive for MERS-CoV on 12 June. Between 18 April and 17 May, the patient was hospitalized in a health care facility that had experienced a MERS-CoV outbreak. Furthermore, she visited the outpatient department of the same health care facility on 20 May. Investigation of epidemiological links with MERS-CoV cases and healthcare workers who were at the health care facility during her admission, and exposure to other known risk factor is ongoing. Currently, the patient is in critical condition in ICU.
Contact tracing of household and healthcare contacts is ongoing for these cases.
The National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also notified WHO of the death of 5 previously reported MERS-CoV cases. The cases were reported in previous DONs on 16 June (case n. 3), on 11 June (case n. 1, 3) and on 6 June (case n. 3, 4).
Globally, since September 2012, WHO has been notified of 1,339 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including at least 476 related deaths.
