Credit WHO
#10,481
We’ve another lengthy WHO GAR update on the ongoing MERS outbreak in Saudi Arabia. Today’s update lists 15 cases reported by the MOH between August 24th and 25th. Due to the length of this update, I’ve elected to briefly chart the cases (see spreadsheet below), rather than print the entire update.
Only one is listed as having direct contact with a known case, while 10 appear to be the unlucky recipients of `collateral infection’ while admitted to - or visiting - a healthcare facility. In four cases, the mode of infection isn’t stated.
Two are healthcare workers, but none are described as having provided care to a known MERS case. As we’ve seen previously, the actual chain of transmission within hospitals is often murky. .
The average patient age for this batch is 63.57 years, 6 are female while 9 are male. Four are listed in critical condition, 2 have died, while the rest are listed in stable condition. The average delay between testing positive and being reported by the MOH is near to 3 days, with a maximum of 7.
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia
Disease outbreak news
2 September 2015Between 24 and 25 August 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 15 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including 2 deaths. Eleven (11) of these reported cases are associated with a MERS-CoV outbreak currently occurring in a hospital in Riyadh city.
(SNIP DETAILS OF CASES)
Contact tracing of household and healthcare contacts is ongoing for these cases.
The National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also notified WHO of the death of 9 MERS-CoV case that were reported in previous DONs on 26 August (case no. 4, 5, 8, 13, 14, 17), on 21 August (case no. 4, 9) and on 18 August (case no. 7).
Globally, since September 2012, WHO has been notified of 1,493 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including at least 527 related deaths.
