Monday, June 12, 2017

Saudi MOH: 1 Additional Asymptomatic HCW In Riyadh MERS Cluster


 



#12,535


The Saudi MOH today announced the 39th Riyadh MERS case of June; another asymptomatic HCW. This month alone, the MOH has identified 28 asymptomatic cases in this cluster, while 11 symptomatic cases have announced.


During the last big nosocomial outbreak in 2016y, the Saudi MOH was still publishing their weekly monitor - a much appreciated  MERS-centric weekly recap and analysis of recent cases. While only 42 weekly issues were published (Oct. 2015-Aug. 2016), it was a hopeful sign the Saudis were serious about sharing MERS information.
Sadly they stopped publishing in August of last year, shortly before the Hajj.
In July of 2016, with the help of the weekly monitor, we got an inside look at a nosocomial outbreak similar in size to the one unfolding in Riyadh now, in Saudi MOH: KKUH Hospital Outbreak As A `Superspreading' Event.

Hopefully, someday we'll see that level of information sharing again from the Saudis.