A person has tested positive for the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS, also known as MERS-CoV) in Al Ain city, Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). world health organization (WHO). At this time, the source of infection is unknown.
A 28-year-old man was admitted to hospital on 8 June and was officially diagnosed with MERS on 23 June after testing positive for polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The WHO provided few details about the man or his condition, but said he was neither a health worker nor a UAE national.
A total of 108 contacts with the patient at health care facilities were identified and tested for MERS, all with negative results.
MERS is caused by a related but not the same coronavirus as SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
It is generally a respiratory disease that causes symptoms such as fever, cough and shortness of breath. In some cases, it can also cause pneumonia and gastrointestinal problems.
There is evidence that camels in the Middle East are the main source of the virus, but it can also be transmitted from person to person.
The latest case reported by the WHO reportedly had no contact with dromedary camels or camel products, and the source of the infection is unknown.
MERS was first identified in the Middle East in 2012 and remains the most frequently reported disease. Since this discovery, three notable outbreaks have occurred in him. Prior to this incident, the last reported MERS infection from the UAE was in November 2021.
The most severe outbreak of MERS occurred in 2012. From 2012 to 2020, WHO will Recorded The number of infected people is 2,566, and the number of deaths is 882. That means the fatality rate is very high at 34%. However, the WHO notes, “This may be an overestimation of the true mortality rate, as mild MERS cases may be missed by existing surveillance systems.”
Most of the cases in the 2012 outbreak occurred in Saudi Arabia, South Korea, UAE, Jordan, Qatar, Oman and Iran. The UK reported 5 cases and 3 deaths, while the US reported 2 and no deaths.