(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) One death among seven Mers cases reported in first half of the year compared to 50 cases reported last year
Abu Dhabi - Seven cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers) infection including one death were reported in the UAE in the first half of 2015 a great reduction from 50 cases reported by the World Health Organisation (WHO) during the same period last year.
Last year’s 50 cases included three who died and 14 health care workers who contracted the virus from a 45-year old man who later died of the Mers coronavirus (Mers-Cov) in April 2014.
A 46-year-old woman and an 11-year-old boy were the latest to test positive for Mers-Cov out of the four cases diagnosed in the month of June. According to WHO the expat woman and the child from the Eastern region contracted the virus from another ill family member.
The family member a 65-year-old male who has other medical disorders has developed symptoms on May 31. He tested positive for Mers-Cov on June 14. He was in a critical condition and in the ICU.
The woman and child tested positive for the virus on June 18 following “contact-tracing” of household members. She has an underlying condition.
They are being kept in isolation but have not shown any symptoms. Other cases this year included a 77-year-old female from Abu Dhabi who developed symptoms on May 21; 33-year old male expat from Al Ain who has a history of contact with Mers-Cov-infected camels imported from Oman; 29-year-old male truck driver from Abu Dhabi who transports camel from Oman to UAE; and a 38-year old male expat who was admitted at the emergency room of a hospital in Abu Dhabi and succumbed to the illness on Feb 6. Mers-Cov is a flu-like illness that develops into severe acute respiratory illness and causing renal failure.
The source of the virus is currently unknown although the infection is believed to be primarily zoonotic in nature — with bats and camels playing a major role and limited human-to-human transmission.
The Mers infection was first reported in 2012 in Saudi Arabia and since then the WHO has been notified of 1350 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection worldwide including 480 deaths.
The WHO encourages the continuance of surveillance for acute respiratory infections and advised health care workers to apply infection prevention and control measures at all times.
“Until more is understood about Mers-Cov people with diabetes renal failure chronic lung disease and patients with impaired immune system are considered to be at high risk of severe disease from Mers-CoV infection. Therefore these people should avoid close contact with animals particularly camels when visiting farms markets or barn areas where the virus is known to be potentially circulating” the WHO advised.
“General hygiene measures such as regular hand washing before and after touching animals and avoiding contact with sick animals should be adhered to. Food hygiene practices should be observed. People should avoid drinking raw camel milk or camel urine or eating meat that has not been properly cooked” it added.
The WHO does not advise special screening at points of entry or travel and trade restrictions at this time.