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| Credit ECDC MERS-CoV RRA #22 |
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A little over a week ago, in UK PHE: Imported MERS Case In England (Leeds), we looked at an announcement from Public Health England, describing their first imported MERS-CoV case since 2013.
Beyond stating the patient was in stable condition, had been transfered from Leeds to Royal Liverpool hospital, and had recently arrived from the Middle East, few details were released.We've not seen any additional updates from PHE, but overnight the World Health Organization published the following DON report, which indicates the patient - who is a male in his 80s, from Saudi Arabia - was symptomatic during his flight from Saudi Arabia.
The patient - who remains in isolation - is reportedly improving. Public health authorities in the UK, KSA are following up on contacts, but no additional infections have been reported.
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Disease outbreak news
31 August 2018
On 22 August 2018, the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) National Focal Point for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland notified WHO about a laboratory-confirmed Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection. The patient is a resident of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia who was visiting the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The patient is a male aged between 80-89 years with underlying chronic medical conditions. He had no history of recent travel or contact with sick patients in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but had history of direct contact with camels before the onset of symptoms.
On 16 August, while symptomatic, the patient travelled by aircraft from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Manchester in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and then to Leeds by car. He received treatment while in isolation in Leeds before being transferred to a specialist infectious disease facility in Liverpool. The patient’s condition has improved and he continues to be in isolation.
Laboratory testing was performed by Public Health England (PHE) Birmingham laboratory and the results were positive for MERS-CoV; these results were confirmed by the national reference laboratory.
This is the fifth case of MERS-CoV diagnosed in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, with the four previous cases diagnosed in 2012 and 2013.
Public health response
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland authorities promptly notified Saudi Arabian authorities on 22 August 2018.
Public health authorities in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have identified and are following up the contacts of the patient in the community, family and health care facilities. Passengers on the flight within three rows of the case have been contacted and provided with information.
Public health authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have screened the patient’s immediate family contacts for disease; all nasopharyngeal samples tested negative for MERS-CoV by PCR. The Animal Health Sector in the Ministry of Agriculture is investigating camel exposures in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
WHO risk assessment(Continue . . . )
The virus does not pass easily from person to person unless there is close contact, such as providing unprotected care to an infected patient. Infection with MERS-CoV can cause severe disease resulting in high rates of morbidity and mortality. Community-acquired human infections with MERS-CoV occurs from direct or indirect contact with infected dromedary camels. MERS-CoV can also transmit between humans through unprotected contact with an infected patient. So far, the observed non-sustained human-to-human transmission has occurred mainly in health care settings. Human-to-human transmission in health care settings can be stopped with adequate infection prevention and control measures.
The notification of an additional case does not change WHO’s overall risk assessment for MERS-CoV. WHO expects that additional cases of MERS-CoV infection will be reported from the Middle East and that sporadic cases will continue to be exported to other countries by individuals who have acquired the infection after exposure to infected animals or animal products (for example, following contact with dromedaries) or human cases (for example, in a health care setting). To date, no human MERS-CoV infections have been associated with Hajj.
WHO is working with the affected Member States to follow up contacts. Additional infections identified as part of the ongoing public health response to this imported case will not change the overall public health risk, which is low.
WHO continues to monitor the epidemiological situation and conduct risk assessments based on the latest available information.
Meanwhile - Saudi Arabia, which skipped reporting for week 34 - has updated their MERS surveillance report for week 35, and now shows 3 cases this week.
Health Events: Epi-week 35, 2018
Report Status: Open
Last Update: 01/09/2018
MERS in Alzulfi city: 77-year-old male living in Alzulfi city, Riaydh region.
30 August
New #18-1741
Contact with camels: No
Case classification: Primary, community acquired
Current status: Hospitalized
MERS in Aldwadmi city: 55-year-old female living in Aldwadmi city, Riyadh region.
31 August
New #18-1742
Contact with camels: No
Case classification: Primary, community acquired
Current status: Hospitalized
MERS in Buraidah city: 61-year-old male living in Buraidah city, Qaseem region.
01 September
New #18-1743
Contact with camels: Yes
Case classification: Primary, community acquired
Current status: Hospitalized
