# 11,156
For the second time this week the WHO has published a Saudi Arabian MERS update. Today's report is a mixed bag, with 7 cases, four of which stem from the ongoing Buraidah outbreak.
- Two cases had a history of frequent contact with dromedaries and consumption of their raw milk.
- One case is a health care worker in the hospital where the MERS-CoV outbreak is occurring
- Three cases were patients admitted to the hospital where the MERS-CoV outbreak is occurring.
- One patient is a community acquired case with no known risk exposure.
Monday's report on 25 cases (see WHO MERS Update - Saudi Arabia) contained 12 cases from the Buraidah hospital cluster, 6 cases with camel exposure, 5 primary cases without a known exposure, and 2 contacts of previously identified MERS cases.
While preventing camel-to-human transmission and halting the nosocomial transmission of the virus in health care facilities are high priorities, for a substantial number of MERS cases their source of infection remains a mystery.
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia
Between 9 and 10 March 2016, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 7 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including 2 deaths.
Details of the cases
Contact tracing of household and healthcare contacts is ongoing for these cases.
- A 75-year-old male from Taif city developed symptoms on 1 March and, on 7 March, was admitted to hospital. The patient, who has comorbidities, tested positive for MERS-CoV on 9 March. Currently, he is in critical condition in ICU. The patient has a history of frequent contact with dromedaries and consumption of their raw milk. He has no history of exposure to the other known risk factors in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms.
- A 62-year-old male from Jubail city developed symptoms on 5 March and, on 7 March, was admitted to hospital. The patient, who has comorbidities, tested positive for MERS-CoV. Currently, he is in stable condition in a negative pressure isolation room on a ward. The patient has a history of frequent contact with dromedaries and consumption of their raw milk. He has no history of exposure to the other known risk factors in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms.
- A 26-year-old male from Buraidah city developed symptoms on 6 March and, on 7 March, was admitted to hospital. The patient, who has comorbidities, tested positive for MERS-CoV on 9 March. Currently, he is in stable condition in home isolation. The patient is a healthcare worker in the hospital where the MERS-CoV outbreak is occurring. Investigation of epidemiological links with the MERS-CoV cases hospitalized in the same hospital is ongoing. The patient has no history of exposure to the other known risk factors in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms.
- A 22-year-old female from Buraidah city was admitted to the hospital where the MERS-CoV outbreak is occurring for an unrelated medical condition on 3 March and was discharged on the same day. On 4 March, she developed symptoms, on 6 March, she was admitted to the same hospital and, on 8 March, the patient tested positive for MERS-CoV. The patient, who has comorbidities, is in critical condition in ICU. Investigation of epidemiological links with MERS-CoV cases hospitalized in the same hospital or with shared healthcare workers is ongoing. The patient has no history of exposure to the other known risk factors in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms.
- A 29-year-old male from Buraidah city developed symptoms on 6 March while being admitted to the hospital where the MERS-CoV outbreak is occurring – the patient was admitted to the hospital for an unrelated medical condition on 28 February. The patient, who had comorbidities, tested positive for MERS-CoV on 8 March. He passed away on 9 March. Investigation of epidemiological links with MERS-CoV cases hospitalized in the same hospital or with shared healthcare workers is ongoing. The patient has no history of exposure to the other known risk factors in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms.
- A 64-year-old, non-national male from Jeddah city developed symptoms on 1 March and, on 7 March, was admitted to hospital. The patient, who had comorbidities, tested positive for MERS-CoV on 8 March. He passed away on 8 March. Investigation of exposure to the known risk factors in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms is ongoing.
- A 50-year-old male from Buraidah city developed symptoms on 2 February and, on the same day, was admitted to the hospital where the MERS-CoV outbreak is occurring. The patient, who has comorbidities, tested positive for MERS-CoV on 8 March. Currently, he is in critical condition in ICU on mechanical ventilation. Investigation of epidemiological links with MERS-CoV cases hospitalized in the same hospital or with shared healthcare workers is ongoing. He has no history of exposure to the other known risk factors in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms.
The National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also notified WHO of the death of 1 MERS-CoV case that was reported in a previous DON on 14 March (case no. 14).
Globally, since September 2012, WHO has been notified of 1,684 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including at least 600 related deaths.
