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This morning the World Health Organization has released an update detailing an additional 9 MERS cases from the UAE, adding to the 16 cases previously announced by WHO over the past 2 weeks.
As to the total case count with this cluster, the numbers are murky at best (more on that in a later post), given the `blind’ announcements from the HAAD (Abu Dhabi Health Authority) providing numbers, but no details, making it impossible to match their announcements up with the WHO’s.
That said, here is the latest GAR (Global Alert & Response) DON.
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – update
Disease Outbreak News
23 April 2014 - On 21 April 2014, 18 April 2014 and 16 April 2014, the Ministry of Health of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported an additional 9 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).
The following details were provided to WHO on 21 April 2014 by the Ministry of Health UAE:
- A 52 year-old woman from Abu Dhabi. She became ill and was admitted to a hospital on 16 April. She has underlying medical conditions and is currently in a stable condition. The patient travelled to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from 5-16 April, where she visited the hospital 3 times. She has no history of contact with animals. All her contacts are being investigated.
The following details were provided to WHO on 18 April by the Ministry of Health UAE:
- A 63 year-old woman from Abu Dhabi who had close contact with a previously laboratory-confirmed case reported on 14 April. She was screened on 13 April and became ill on 15 April. She is reported to have an underlying medical condition. She is reported to have no exposure to animals or a recent travel history.
- A 73 year-old woman from Abu Dhabi who has been an in-patient at the hospital since 26 February due to other illnesses. She has underlying medical conditions. The patient was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) on 14 April. She is reported to have no exposure to animals or a recent travel history.
Globally, from September 2012 to date, WHO has been informed of a total of 253 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including 93 deaths.
Case totals published in the Disease Outbreak News on MERS-CoV on 20 April 2014, already included the 6 laboratory-confirmed cases reported from the UAE on 16 April, 2014 below.
The following details were provided to WHO on 16 April 2014 by the Ministry of Health UAE:
All the cases are from Abu Dhabi and have had close contact with a laboratory-confirmed case reported on 10 April. To date, the cases are kept in isolation in a hospital and are well. Screening of other health care contacts and family members are ongoing.
- A 52 year-old woman who had mild illness on 9 April and was screened on 10 April. She is reported to have no underlying medical condition and does not have exposure to animals or a recent travel history.
- A 28 year-old who was screened on 10 April. He has no illness and is reported not to have any underling medical condition and does not have exposure to animals or a recent travel history.
- A 59 year-old man who was screened on 12 April. He has no illness. He is reported to have an underlying medical condition. He is reported not to have exposure to animals or a recent travel history.
- A 28 year-old man who was screened on 10 April. He developed mild illness on 11 April. He is reported to have no underlying medical condition and does not have exposure to animals or a recent travel history.
- A 55 year-old woman who was screened on 12 April. She developed mild illness on 8 April. She is reported to have no underlying medical condition and does not have exposure to animals or a recent travel history.
- A 28 year-old woman who was screened on 10 April. She developed mild illness on 8 April. She is reported to have no underlying medical condition and does not have exposure to animals or a recent travel history.
