Qatar announces 1st case of MERS

(MENAFN- Arab Times) DOHA Oct 12 (KUNA): Qatar's Supreme Council of Health (SCH) announced Sunday the first confirmed case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERSCoV) in the country for 2014. The case was discovered and diagnosed by Qatari national reference laboratories to a 71 year-old Qatari citizen who contracted the illness while visiting Saudi Arabia SCH said in a statement adding that he was eventually transported to Qatar via air ambulance under health quarantine and isolation protocol.

Meanwhile the Rapid Response Team (RRT) for emergency cases has conducted epidemiological investigation measures listing all those suspected of having physical contact with the infected Qatari to provide them with health preventive tips as well as medical checkup and follow up said the statement. SCH also stressed importance of committing to all requirements of combating the virus inside all health facilities in the country.