Credit Eurosurveillance
# 8524
From Eurosurveillance Journal this afternoon an editorial penned by the ECDC’s Director Marc Sprenger and D Coulombier on the first two years of the MERS epidemic, with data current through April 23rd.
This editorial is actually just one of three articles on MERS in this weeks edition, the others focus on the recent imported case in Greece and additional findings of the MERS virus in camels.
- A case of imported Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus infection and public health response, Greece, April 2014
- Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in dromedary camels, Oman, 2013
All three reports are well worth reading, but the editorial below provides the broadest overview of the situation. I’ve included a few excerpts, but the entire editorial is worth reading. I’ll have a final comment when you return.
Eurosurveillance, Volume 19, Issue 16, 24 April 2014
Editorials
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus – two years into the epidemic
M Sprenger1, D Coulombier (
)1
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Stockholm, Sweden
Euro Surveill. 2014;19(16):pii=20783. Available online: http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=20783 Date of submission: 24 April 2014
Two years ago, on 23 April 2012, media reported a cluster of severe respiratory infection in a hospital in Jordan [1]. Only several months later did it become evident that this was the first known occurrence of the new Middle East Respiratory Symptom coronavirus (MERS-CoV) that since then continues to puzzle scientists and public health experts alike.
<BIG SNIP>
MERS-CoV infections present with a high case-fatality ratio, multiple transmission routes are suspected, cases are reported among healthcare workers, multiple disease foci are affecting SA, and cases have been exported. All these facts are criteria for considering declaring a public health event of international concern listed in annex II of the WHO international health regulations [18]. Two years and 345 cases after the start of this epidemic, we remain with many unanswered questions and lack serological studies and sequences from human cases.Currently, SA bears the main burden of managing the MERS-CoV epidemic and lately also the UAE. So far, cases detected outside the Arabian Peninsula have not resulted in sustained onward transmission. However, the recent rapid change in the epidemiological pattern of the disease should call for a change of approach to ensure a rapid understanding of the determinants of this emerging epidemic and its effective control, which will require a joint intervention from veterinary as well as human health authorities worldwide.
Lastly, I quite happily note that Flutracker’s , 2012-2014 Case List of MoH/WHO Novel Coronavirus nCoV Announced Cases is among the article’s references and that a very kind hat tip was extended to the bloggers, journalists, flu forum newshounds, and researchers who gather and discuss emerging diseases like MERS on twitter, Facebook, and elsewhere.
