Photo Credit WHO
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Today’s update diverged slightly from the FluTrackers MERS-CoV Line List, which counts 62 deaths. Editor-in-Chief Sharon Sanders, who curates the list, received a clarification earlier today from Gregory Hartl at the WHO.
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The World Health Organization has posted a GAR (Global Alert & Response) update on the MERS coronavirus, adding two new cases in Saudi Arabia (both fatal) to the the list of confirmed cases. These two cases were previously mentioned in this blog last Wednesday (see Saudi MOH Announces 2 New (Fatal) MERS-CoV Cases).
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) - update
Disease outbreak news
14 October 2013 - WHO has been informed of an additional two laboratory-confirmed cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection in Saudi Arabia.
The patients, both men, aged 55 and 78, were from Riyadh region. They became ill at the end of September 2013 and died in the beginning of October 2013. Both the patients were reported to have had no contact to a known laboratory-confirmed case with MERS-CoV.
Globally, from September 2012 to date, WHO has been informed of a total of 138 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including 60 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.
