Avian Flu Diary: KSA: Public Health Messaging On MERS

Credit KSA MOH

# 8464

In my last blog (see MERS-CoV: The Twitter Of Their Discontent) I wrote about some of the dubious medical advice being purveyed by Arabic newspapers and on Twitter for dealing with the MERS Coronavirus. Luckily, more reasoned public health advice is being promoted as well.

An example comes from a widely tweeted link to the following SAAID.net story.

8 important questions of Corona

Dr. Mohammed Al-Filali
Doctor in public health and preventive medicine @mh_filali

Dr. Osama barshid
Doctor in public health and preventive medicine @DrOsamah1

In the name of God the merciful

With increasing cases of Corona recently spread messages about the disease and its treatment and other. To minimize rumors and disseminate correct information about the disease we have group of physicians to answer some important questions about the disease to raise awareness in society.

First: what are the symptoms of the disease?

Most of the cases these symptoms appeared

- High temperature.
- Cough (cough).
- Shortness of breath.
- Symptoms such as sneezing, nominated or cold and runny nose.

Secondly: what do I do if these symptoms?

- Visit the health center or family doctor.
- The antihypertensive and painkillers, according to the doctor's instructions.
- A lot of liquids.
- Take enough rest.
- Avoid mixing with other people, especially children, the elderly or those with chronic symptoms.

Third: when to go to emergency?

- If symptoms are intensified.
- Or if the victim's age or suffering from chronic diseases or have low immunity.
- Or if there is contact with a person infected or suspected of infection during the two weeks preceding the onset of symptoms.

IV: what is the treatment?

- Not discover the cure for this disease, which is treating the symptoms and provide nutrients and supportive therapies to reduce complications.

VA: what are the health message across about as garlic as a remedy?

- Nothing proves the effectiveness of garlic as a cure for this disease. If there is proof of the effectiveness of garlic as an antibiotic relative to a specific type of bacteria, the metastatic disease is a viral disease and viral infections are treated with antibiotics.
But we can say that garlic in General may benefit like other natural substances such as honey, black seed in lifting the immunity, but is by no means a cure for the disease.

VI: is a dangerous and deadly disease?
- From the beginning of the discovery of the disease two years ago in April 2012 and March 27, 2014 were 206 cases in the world occurred in 86 of them or rough (42%), most deaths were in the elderly and patients with chronic diseases.

- There may be fewer deaths if there are cases of Corona light did not require testing and treatment.

7. How do I protect myself and around me from disease?
1) there is not a vaccine (immunization) specific to the disease, but can take the seasonal flu vaccination to prevent God from other types of influenza a swine flu (H1N1) and others.

2) Avoid contact with beauty and away from places and should make sure the boiling wetvoir camel milk if drinking it, and cook meat well before eating. Because the studies suggesting a link between HIV and beauty as a vector of disease.

3) It is also advised to take preventive measures for any disease is contagious and I am are as follows:

- Wash hands with SOAP and water or sterilizers.
- Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth before washing.
- Avoid shaking hands or sitting patients.
- Cover your mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze with direct disposal of the handkerchief.
- Wear masks when mixing in large concentrations.

4) Cooperation with the Ministry of health in case samples or information from persons or contacts them to study and learn more about its properties.

5) Immunization and adhkaar in this period and in a while.

8. do you avoid going to hospital?

- When you need to visit the doctor advised to visit health centers and go to the hospital emergency where critical situations only.

Finally we ask God for a speedy recovery for each patient, mercy and forgiveness of the dead and to protect us and loved ones and everyone from all evil.

References:
-American Center for prevention of diseases (CDC)
-World Health Organization (WHO)
-Ministry of health

With a growing number of mild and/or asymptomatic infections being reported among known contacts of infected persons, the obvious trade-off with telling people with `mild or moderate symptoms’ not to go to the hospital is that community cases of MERS infection may not be as easily detected, or infected patients isolated.

It is likely, of course, that some mild or asymptomatic cases have been missed all along.

While not ideal --the alternative – having thousands of worried well, along with some mildly ill patients show up at ERs around the nation could easily overwhelm and disrupt emergency medical services.