The UN health agency warned countries to bolster their guard against the MERS virus, which has killed 152 people in Saudi Arabia and is causing alarm as it spreads.
Deadly MERS Virus Travels to US, Third Potential MERS Case Reported
A third potential case of the dangerous Middle East Respiratory Virus (MERS) has been reported in the United States, US health authorities confirmed on Tuesday.
A third potential case of the dangerous Middle East Respiratory Virus (MERS) has been reported in the United States, US health authorities confirmed on Tuesday.
The committee's concerns "centred on the recent sharp rise in cases, systemic weaknesses in infection prevention and control, as well as gaps in critical information, and possible exportation of cases to especially vulnerable countries," it added.
As a result, the health experts called on governments, notably in affected countries, to bolster policies for infection prevention and control, and ensure they are implemented in health-care facilities nationwide.
Five New MERS Deaths Reported in Saudi
Five new deaths from MERS have been reported by the Saudi health authorities.
Five new deaths from MERS have been reported by the Saudi health authorities.
MERS causes fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and can be lethal particularly among older people and those with existing health problems.
Advertisements
Combating MERS by Handling Camels With Caution
Fresh warnings on how to handle the desert kingdom's wealth of camels has been issued by Saudi authorities as the animal is thought to be the source of MERS in the Gulf state.
Fresh warnings on how to handle the desert kingdom's wealth of camels has been issued by Saudi authorities as the animal is thought to be the source of MERS in the Gulf state.
The virus first emerged in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and recent research has suggested it may originate in camels.
Advertisements
New MERS Death Reported in Jordan
On the eve of a WHO emergency meeting on the deadly MERS disease, the government found how one man in Jordan has died after being infected with the virus
On the eve of a WHO emergency meeting on the deadly MERS disease, the government found how one man in Jordan has died after being infected with the virus
The vast majority of cases have been in Saudi Arabia, and most of those elsewhere have involved people had travelled to the kingdom.
On Wednesday the Netherlands became the 13th country outside of Saudi Arabia to report a case of MERS. Since December there have also been confirmed or suspected cases since December in Egypt, Greece, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and Yemen.
There previously have been cases recorded in Tunisia, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and the Philippines.
MERS is considered a deadlier but less-transmissible cousin of the SARS virus that appeared in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died.
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.
The health experts also stressed the need to speed up investigations of the virus and to better understand the risk factors that facilitate its spread.
The closed-door WHO meeting, which took place Tuesday, was the fifth to be held on MERS with another one expected in the coming weeks, the agency said.
Source-AFP
