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Despite a reported slowdown in cases in 2018 - with two exported MERS cases (1 in the UK, 1 In South Korea) out of the Middle East over the past month, and the recent completion of this year's Hajj - concerns over MERS-CoV on the Arabian peninsula continues.
Although reporting from Saudi Arabia - and other Middle Eastern nations - has been spotty on MERS, once a month we do get a brief summary from WHO's EMRO (Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office).More detailed reports usually come from the WHO's Emergency Preparedness & Response page, but curiously, this year we've only seen two from Saudi Arabia. One in January (current through 17 January) and one in June (current through the end of May).
By this time last year, the WHO had published 13 detailed MERS reports from Saudi Arabia, and would post 16 before the year ended. Why we've seen such a sharp drop in the frequency of WHO reports out of KSA this year has not been explained.Today's report includes the UK's recently imported case, but not the one reported last weekend in South Korea.
MERS situation update, August 2018
MERS_update_June_2017
- At the end of August 2018, a total of 2248 laboratory-confirmed cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), including 798 associated deaths (case–fatality rate: 35.5%) were reported globally; 83% of these cases were reported from Saudi Arabia (1871 cases, including 724 related deaths with a case–fatality rate of 38.7%).
- During the month of August, a total of 9 laboratory-confirmed cases of MERS were reported globally; 8 cases were reported in Saudi Arabia, including 4 associated deaths, and 1 case was reported in the United Kingdom. The cases from Saudi Arabia included one symptomatic case that acquired infection in a dialysis unit. The case reported from the United Kingdom has a history of travelling to the Arabian Peninsula. The contact-tracing of all patients’ contacts showed negative laboratory results for MERS by PCR.
- The demographic and epidemiological characteristics of reported cases, when compared with the same corresponding period of 2013 to 2018, do not show any significant difference or change. Owing to improved infection prevention and control practices in hospitals, the number of hospital-acquired cases of MERS has dropped significantly since 2015.
- The age group 50–59 years continues to be at highest risk for acquiring infection of primary cases. The age group 30–39 years is most at risk for secondary cases. The number of deaths is higher in the age group 50–59 years for primary cases and 70–79 years for secondary cases.
Read the latest MERS update
