# 8148
The World Health Organization has posted a GAR update on an Omani case we learned about on January 1st (see Oman Reports Second MERS-CoV Fatality) that adds a couple of significant details to what was reported earlier.
- First, we discover this patient fell ill on December 20th, was hospitalized on the 24th, and moved to intensive care on the 28th. The patient died on December 30th, yet a lab confirmation of MERS-CoV wasn’t provided until January 1st.
- Second, this patient apparently had near daily contact with camels. While the source of infection remains uncertain, several recent serological studies have found antibodies to MERS or a MERS-Like virus in local dromedary herds (see EID Journal: MERS-Like Antibodies In Camels, UAE 2003-2013).
Here is an excerpt from today’s GAR update. Follow the link to read it in its entirety.
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) - update
Disease outbreak news
9 January 2014 - WHO has been informed of an additional laboratory-confirmed case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Oman.
The case is a 59 year-old man who became sick with fever, cough and shortness of breath on 20 December 2013 and was admitted to hospital in North Batinha Governorate on 24 December. On 28 December his condition deteriorated and he was transferred to an intensive care unit and was diagnosed with pneumonia. The patient died on 30 December. A laboratory confirmation of MERS-CoV was made on 1 January 2014. The patient had a history of daily exposure to camels and other farm animals and also participated in camel race events. In addition, the man was a heavy smoker.
Globally, from September 2012 to date, WHO has been informed of a total of 178 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including 75 deaths.
