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The World Health Organization has released a new MERS update - that instead of adding new cases - moves two previously confirmed cases into the `probable’ category. The patients are a two-year-old girl and a 42-year-old woman in Italy - both contacts of man recently returned from Jordan who was diagnosed with MERS-CoV.
This reclassification moves the `official’ toll of the virus back to 130 laboratory confirmed cases, and 58 deaths, although there is little doubt that the actual case count is likely higher.
Here are excerpts from today’s WHO update. Follow the link to read it in its entirety.
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) - update
Disease Outbreak News
20 September 2013 - Two patients earlier reported as laboratory-confirmed with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection in Italy in the Disease Outbreak News on 2 June 2013 are being reclassified as probable cases.
The reclassification follows further analysis of the laboratory tests performed in May 2013, which has shown that the two cases do not fulfil the current WHO case definition for a "confirmed case" for MERS-CoV. The two cases are the two-year-old girl and a 42-year-old woman who were identified as close contacts of the index case who travelled from Jordan.
A "probable" designation by WHO criteria refers to patients who are considered to have a high likelihood of having been infected with MERS-CoV, but from whom adequate samples could not be obtained for complete testing according to the current criteria established for laboratory confirmation.
Globally, from September 2012 to date, WHO has been informed of a total of 130 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including 58 deaths.
Based on the current situation and available information, WHO encourages all Member States to continue their surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and to carefully review any unusual patterns.
Health care providers are advised to maintain vigilance. Recent travellers returning from the Middle East who develop SARI should be tested for MERS-CoV as advised in the current surveillance recommendations.
