Coronavirus – Credit CDC PHIL
# 7992
A hat tip to Lisa Schnirring at CIDRAP NEWS for tweeting this update to the World Health Organization’s FAQ document on the MERS Coronavirus. This comes just a day after we saw the OIE: Updated Q&A On MERS Coronavirus, which urged caution on pinning the transmission of the virus on camels.
Like the OIE, the WHO says that the finding of the virus in a camel earlier this month – while an important development – does not necessarily implicate camels directly in the chain of transmission to humans (… much more detail follows).
I’ve only excerpted a couple of items below, so follow the link to read the entire update.
Frequently Asked Questions on Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)
19 November 2013
What is coronavirus?
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illness in humans and animals. In people, coronaviruses can cause illnesses ranging in severity from the common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
The novel coronavirus, first detected in April 2012, is a new virus that has not been seen in humans before. In most cases, it has caused severe disease. Death has occurred in about half of cases.
This new coronavirus is now known as Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). It was named by the Coronavirus Study Group of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses in May 2013.
Where are MERS-CoV infections occurring?
Nine countries have now reported cases of human infection with MERS-CoV. Cases have been reported in France, Germany, Italy Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. All cases have had some connection (whether direct or indirect) with the Middle East. In France, Italy, Tunisia and the United Kingdom, limited local transmission has occurred in people who had not been to the Middle East but who had been in close contact with laboratory-confirmed or probable cases.
How widespread is MERS-CoV?
How widespread this virus may be is still unknown. WHO encourages Member States to continue to closely monitor for severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and to carefully review any unusual patterns of SARI or pneumonia. WHO will continue to share information as it becomes available.
What are the symptoms of MERS-CoV?
Common symptoms are acute, serious respiratory illness with fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. Most patients have had pneumonia. Many have also had gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhoea. Some patients have had kidney failure. About half of people infected with MERS-CoV have died. In people with immune deficiencies, the disease may have an atypical presentation. It is important to note that the current understanding of illness caused by this infection is based on a limited number of cases and may change as we learn more about the virus.
