Medindia LOGIN REGISTER
Medindia
Advertisement

Algeria Reports First MERS Death

by Himabindu Venkatakrishnan on June 11, 2014 at 5:33 PM
 Algeria Reports First MERS Death

The first fatality due to MERS virus was reported in Algeria, when an Algerian man in his fifties died of the disease, the health ministry announced Tuesday.

The 59-year-old victim was among the first two cases of the deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome virus to be discovered in Algeria late last month.

Advertisement

Both men had just returned from a pilgrimage to Muslim holy sites in Saudi Arabia, where most cases and deaths from the disease have been reported.

The unnamed man died after 11 days in hospital in the town of Tlemcen, 600 kilometres west of Algiers, following a deterioration of his vital functions overnight Monday.
Advertisement

The condition of the second confirmed MERS case, a 66-year-old man hospitalised in Kolea near Algiers, is improving, the health ministry said.

Other countries, including Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Iran, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates and the United States, have also recorded cases, mostly in people who had been to Saudi Arabia.

The MERS virus is considered a deadlier but less transmissible cousin of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus that appeared in Asia in 2003 and killed hundreds of people, mostly in China.

Like SARS, it appears to cause a lung infection, with patients suffering coughing, breathing difficulties and a temperature. But MERS differs in that it also causes rapid kidney failure.

MERS has killed 284 people in Saudi Arabia since it first emerged in 2012, and hundreds more have been infected.

Muslim pilgrims from around the world are pouring into the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, undeterred by the spread of the deadly virus.

Research has suggested that the virus has been quite common in camels for at least the past 20 years.

Last week, researchers said they had found the first direct evidence that MERS jumps directly from camels to humans.

Source: AFP
Font : A-A+

Advertisement

Advertisement
Advertisement

Latest Tropical Disease News

Monkeypox Outbreak Extends Across Five Indonesian Provinces
The viral infection of monkeypox has now spread to five provinces in Indonesia, said authorities.
Mpox Traced Back to 2016 Before 2022 Global Outbreak
Mpox, previously recognized as Monkeypox, has existed in human circulation since 2016, preceding the 2022 worldwide health emergency it initiated.
How Gut Bacteria Raise the Risk of Severe Malaria?
Gut bacteria composition is linked to a higher risk of severe malaria and may aid in developing new approaches to prevent severe malaria and its mortality.
Growing Monkeypox Outbreak in Indonesia Prompts Heightened Alert
Indonesia's Health Ministry is on high alert due to 14 confirmed monkeypox cases since its first detection on October 13.
Rare Zika Case Emerges in Cambodia After Seven Years
The Ministry of Health (MoH) in Cambodia has reported the first Zika virus case in the country since 2016.
View All
This site uses cookies to deliver our services.By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Cookie Policy, Privacy Policy, and our Terms of Use  Ok, Got it. Close
×

Algeria Reports First MERS Death Personalised Printable Document (PDF)

Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested

You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends.

Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice.

Name *

Email Address *

Country *

Areas of Interests