Photo Credit NIAID
# 8639
Good news from the Orange County and Florida Department of Health concerning our recently imported MERS case. He has been been given a clean bill of health and has been released from the hospital.
While all known close contacts have tested negative for the MERS virus, we shall be very interested in hearing about any serological test results in the weeks to come.
UPDATE: May 19, 2014 MERS-CoV Update
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: DOH-Orange Communications
May 19, 2014 407-858-1429 or 407-858-1418
Orlando Health- Katie Dagenais
407-242-0305
Florida Department of Health and Orlando Health
PROVIDE UPDATE ON MErs-CoV IN FLORIDA
~Patient discharged from the hospital~
Tallahassee – The first patient in Florida with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection has been discharged from the hospital in Orange County. The patient has now tested negative for MERS-CoV and has recovered from the virus. All health care workers and household contacts who had contact with the patient were tested for MERS-CoV and all of those results have come back negative. There is no broad risk of MERS-CoV infection for the general public, and no threat to those traveling to the Orlando area.
The Florida Department of Health continues to work closely with Dr. P. Phillips Hospital and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to ensure appropriate follow up, and to protect the health of all residents and visitors in Florida. Surveillance, contact investigation and testing continue, following standard public health protocols.
The information line for the public at the Florida Department of Health in Orange County is 407-858-1490. Information from the CDC for the public is available by calling 800-232-4636.
For more information, please visit DOH’s Online Newsroom- http://newsroom.doh.state.fl.us/2014/05/12/mers-cov-2/ or view the following resources:
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) Fact Sheet (DOH): MERS-CoV – Fact Sheet
Frequently Asked MERS Questions and Answers (DOH): MERS-CoV – FAQ
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome information (DOH): http://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/mers/index.html
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (CDC): http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/mers/index.html
World Health Organization (WHO):
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/coronavirus_infections/en/
