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| MERS Virus Outbreak | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: 18 Jun 2013, 12:06 AM (669 Views) | |
| skibboy | 18 Jun 2013, 12:06 AM Post #1 |
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17 JUNE 2013 Saudi announces four new deaths from MERS virus AFP - Four people have died from the MERS virus in Saudi Arabia, brining the death toll from the SARS-like virus in the kingdom to 32, the health ministry said on its website Monday. Two people died in the western city of Taif and the other two were pronounced dead in Eastern Province, where most cases have been registered, said the statement Source:
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| skibboy | 21 Jun 2013, 01:48 AM Post #2 |
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20 JUNE 2013 Panic over MERS virus fades in Saudi ![]() A Saudi official welcomes Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah (right) to Riyadh in November 2007. People in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province have again started greeting friends with the traditional kiss on the cheek, and face masks in public are becoming rarer, as panic subsides over the outbreak of a deadly respiratory disease that hit the country last year. ![]() A foreign worker cycles past King Fahad hospital in Hufuf, east of Riyadh, last Sunday. Last June, the province was hit for the first time with what became a spate of cases of what was dubbed Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) because of the high proportion of cases reported in the region. ![]() People walk outside the King Fahad hospital in Hufuf, east of Riyadh last Sunday. "We continue to kiss each other when we meet relatives and friends, and we organise evenings without wearing masks or taking any precautionary measures," said Badr Abdullah, as he bought groceries at a shopping centre in Al-Hufuf, the main city in Al-Ahsa governorate. AFP - People in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province have again started greeting friends with the traditional kiss on the cheek, and face masks in public are becoming rarer, as panic subsides over the outbreak of a deadly respiratory disease that hit the country last year. "We continue to kiss each other when we meet relatives and friends, and we organise evenings without wearing masks or taking any precautionary measures," said Badr Abdullah, as he bought groceries at a shopping centre in Al-Hufuf, the main city in Al-Ahsa governorate. "At the beginning, panic hit us. But now, the situation is back to normal," Abdullah said. Last June, the province was hit for the first time with what became a spate of cases of what was dubbed Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) because of the high proportion of cases reported in the region. Out of 64 cases worldwide, the virus has killed 38 people, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says. Of that total, 49 cases have been reported in Saudi Arabia, with 32 people dying. But Abdullah, like many in Eastern Province, said he believes "most of those affected are aged people who suffered chronic illnesses." The virus is a member of the coronavirus family, which includes the pathogen that causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. SARS sparked global panic in 2003 after it jumped to humans from animals in Asia and killed some 800 people. Like SARS, MERS appears to cause a lung infection, causing fever, cough and breathing trouble. But it differs in that it also causes rapid kidney failure. Hospitals in the province have taken precautionary measures, distributing masks and urging people to observe strict hygiene rules, such as washing their hands regularly, using tissues when they sneeze, and avoiding gatherings. But pharmacist Adel Ali said that early panic had died down recently, and that sales of the face masks recommended by the health authorities had fallen. "At the beginning, people were scared. But now, the sale of masks has dropped," he said. Mustafa al-Hamadeh, who studies in the United States and has returned to Saudi for holidays, said he thought the fear of the virus was "exaggerated." "I thought of cancelling my trip because of information carried by media on this virus. But I noticed when I got here that the situation is normal and I have kissed all those that I met," said the 23-year-old university student. Health authorities have organised seminars and put up billboards to warn of the symptoms of the virus. The campaign urged anyone suffering a high temperature, coughing fits and breathing difficulties to go to hospital immediately. The health ministry also set up a web page discussing the virus. Saudi Arabia is home to the two holiest sites of Islam, and hosts the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, when hundreds of thousands descend on the country from around the world. And the authorities have decided to cut the number of authorised pilgrims, saying that was due to construction work to expand the holy site, with no word on the virus. WHO Director General Margaret Chan said in May that there was no need to place travel restrictions for the time being, but said it was "urgent" to look into the issue of the pilgrimage. A delegation from the WHO visited Saudi Arabia earlier this month to assess the situation and commended the kingdom for taking prompt measures to combat the virus. While most of the cases have been concentrated in Saudi Arabia, the virus has also been found in Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Cases have also been found in France, Germany, Italy, Tunisia and Britain, mostly patients transferred there from the Middle East for treatment or people who had travelled to the region and become ill after they returned, the WHO said. Scientists at the Erasmus medical centre in the Dutch city of Rotterdam have suggested that bats could be a natural source for the virus. Health officials have voiced concern about the high proportion of deaths relative to cases, warning that MERS could spark a new global crisis if it mutates into a form that spreads more easily. Source:
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| skibboy | 23 Jun 2013, 12:16 AM Post #3 |
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22 JUNE 2013 Saudi announces new death from SARS-like virus AFP - An elderly Saudi man has died from the MERS virus, bringing the kingdom's death toll from the SARS-like infection to 33, the health ministry said. The 81-year-old man died in Eastern Province, where most cases of coronavirus have been registered, the ministry said on its website late Friday. It said two more people contracted the virus, including a 41-year-old Saudi woman who had contact with an infected person, and a Saudi man, 32, who had been diagnosed with cancer. The ministry said it had now recorded 55 cases of infection, 33 of whom had died. The World Health Organisation said on Monday that 64 laboratory-confirmed cases of the disease, dubbed Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), had surfaced worldwide to date, including 38 deaths. While most of the cases have been concentrated in Saudi Arabia, the virus has also spread to neighbouring Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Cases have also been found in France, Germany, Italy, Tunisia and Britain, although mainly concerning patients transferred there for care from the Middle East or who had travelled to the Middle East and become ill after they returned, the WHO said. The virus is a member of the coronavirus family, which includes the pathogen that causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). SARS sparked global panic in 2003 after it jumped to humans from animals in Asia and killed some 800 people. Like SARS, MERS appears to cause a lung infection, with patients suffering from fever, coughing and breathing difficulties. But it differs in that it also causes rapid kidney failure. Source:
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| skibboy | 3 Jul 2013, 11:09 PM Post #4 |
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03 JULY 2013 Saudi records two new deaths from MERS AFP - A Saudi man and a woman have died from the MERS virus, raising the death toll from the SARS-like infection in the kingdom to 36, the health ministry said on Wednesday. Three others infected with the same virus, two in Eastern Province and one in Riyadh, have been treated, the ministry said on its website. It said 62 people have been infected with the virus in the kingdom so far, down from a previous figure of 66. The ministry did not clarify why it had lowered the number of reported cases of the disease, dubbed Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. It said the latest victims were a 75-year-old man in the eastern region of Al-Ahsaa, where an outbreak began in a healthcare facility in April, and a 63-year-old woman in Riyadh, but did not say when they had died. Saudi Arabia recorded its first MERS death in June 2012. The latest deaths bring to 42 the number of people to have died from the virus worldwide to date. The virus is a member of the coronavirus family, which includes the pathogen that causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). SARS sparked global panic in 2003 after it jumped to humans from animals in Asia and killed some 800 people. Like SARS, MERS appears to cause a lung infection, with patients suffering from fever, coughing and breathing difficulties. But it differs in that it also causes rapid kidney failure. While most of the cases have been concentrated in Saudi Arabia, the MERS virus has also spread to neighbouring Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Cases have also been found in France, Germany, Italy, Tunisia and Britain, although most of these patients had been transferred for care from the Middle East or had travelled to the Middle East and become ill after they returned, the World Health Organisation said. Source:
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| skibboy | 8 Jul 2013, 12:03 AM Post #5 |
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07 JULY 2013 Two new MERS deaths in Saudi: ministry AFP - A Saudi man and a child have died from the MERS virus, bringing the number of deaths from the respiratory infection in the kingdom to 38, the health ministry said on Sunday. The 53-year-old man died from the SARS-like illness in Eastern Province, where the illness first broke out last year, the ministry's website reported. The second victim was a two-year-old boy in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, it added. It also reported three new confirmed MERS infections, two men in Riyadh aged 66 and 69, and a foreign employee in the health sector in Hafr al-Batin in the east. The new cases bring the number of confirmed MERS infections in Saudi Arabia to 65 since the outbreak began. The World Health Organisation announced on Friday it had convened emergency talks on the MERS virus, which is striking hardest in Saudi Arabia. The move came amid concern about the potential impact of October's hajj pilgrimage, when millions of Muslims from around the globe head to and from Saudi Arabia. The WHO has not recommended any MERS-related travel restrictions, but says countries should monitor unusual respiratory infection patterns. The first recorded MERS death was in June last year in Saudi Arabia. Experts are struggling to understand MERS, short for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus. It shares the flu-like symptoms of its cousin SARS, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, but differs in that it also causes kidney failure. Like SARS, MERS is thought to have jumped from animals to humans. It seems deadliest for older men who already have other medical conditions, and can spread between humans, but so far appears far less contagious than SARS. There have been cases in Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, while Britain, France, Italy, Tunisia and Britain have recorded transmission to patients who did not travel to the Middle East but had close contact with people who did. Source:
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| skibboy | 2 Aug 2013, 01:33 AM Post #6 |
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01 AUGUST 2013 Three new cases of MERS virus confirmed in Saudi: WHO AFP - Three women have contracted the deadly MERS virus in Saudi Arabia, which has been hardest hit by the enigmatic disease, the World Health Organisation said Thursday. One of the patients is a 67-year-old woman from Riyadh with underlying medical conditions, but who was not known to have come into contact with animals or another sufferer of the virus. The other two patients diagnosed with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome were health care workers who had been exposed to other MERS patients. According to the WHO, 46 of the 94 people confirmed to have been infected have died from MERS since September 2012. Concerns about the virus have led Saudi Arabia to restrict visas for the hajj pilgrimage in October, during which millions of Muslims flock to the holy sites of Mecca and Medina. Experts are struggling to understand MERS, which still lacks a vaccine and which has an extremely high fatality rate of more than 51 percent. It is considered a cousin of the SARS virus that erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died. Like SARS, MERS is thought to have jumped from animals to humans, and shares the former's flu-like symptoms -- but differs by causing kidney failure. Scientists studying the new virus have found older patients, men, and people with underlying medical conditions are those particularly at risk. Source:
Edited by skibboy, 26 Aug 2013, 12:23 AM.
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| skibboy | 26 Aug 2013, 12:21 AM Post #7 |
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25 AUGUST 2013 Saudi man dies of MERS virus ![]() A Saudi nurse walks towards the King Fahad hospital in Hofuf, east of Riyadh, on June 16, 2013. AFP - A Saudi man has died of the coronavirus MERS, bringing the kingdom's death toll from the SARS-like virus to 41, while two new cases were registered, the government said Sunday. The 51-year-old, who had previously been diagnosed with MERS, died in Riyadh, the health ministry said on its website, adding he also suffered from cancer and other chronic diseases. The two new cases of infection were registered in the southwestern region of Asir. They include a man aged 31 with chronic illnesses, and another, 55, who was in contact with an infected person, the ministry said. Saudi Arabia is the country worst hit by MERS, which has killed 41 in the kingdom, out of 47 globally. Saudi authorities said 82 people have been infected, representing the majority of those who contracted the virus worldwide. Experts are struggling to understand MERS -- Middle East Respiratory Syndrome -- for which there is still no vaccine and which has an extremely high fatality rate of more than 51 percent. It is considered a cousin of the SARS virus that erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died. Like SARS, MERS is thought to have jumped from animals to humans, and it shares the former's flu-like symptoms -- but differs by also causing kidney failure. Source:
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| skibboy | 28 Aug 2013, 11:50 PM Post #8 |
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28 AUGUST 2013 Saudi man dies of MERS virus AFP - A Saudi man has died of the coronavirus MERS, bringing the kingdom's death toll from the SARS-like virus to 42, health authorities said Wednesday, adding a new case was registered. The 38-year-old man who died in the eastern city of Hafr al-Baten had been "suffering from a severe lung infection," the health ministry said on its website. It said that an expat in the western city of Medina suffering from chronic kidney failure was under intensive care after he contracted the virus, which began in the kingdom's Eastern Province. Saudi Arabia is the country worst hit by MERS, which has killed 47 people globally. The Saudi authorities say 84 people have been infected, representing the majority of those who contracted the virus worldwide. Experts are struggling to understand MERS -- Middle East Respiratory Syndrome -- for which there is still no vaccine and which has an extremely high fatality rate of more than 51 percent. It is considered a cousin of the SARS virus that erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died. Like SARS, MERS is thought to have jumped from animals to humans, and it shares the former's flu-like symptoms -- but differs by also causing kidney failure. Source:
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| skibboy | 7 Sep 2013, 12:13 AM Post #9 |
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06 SEPTEMBER 2013 MERS virus claims two more lives in Saudi Arabia AFP - Two women have died of the coronavirus MERS in Saudi Arabia, the health ministry said on Friday, bringing the total number of fatalities in the kingdom to 44. The victims were identified as a 41-year-old expat who was working in the health sector in Riyadh and a 79-year-old Saudi who suffered from chronic illnesses and who came into contact with a patient stricken by the virus in the northeastern city of Hafr al-Baten. Saudi Arabia is the country worst hit by MERS, which has killed 50 people globally, according to a statement published by the World Health Organisation on August 30. Experts are struggling to understand MERS -- Middle East Respiratory Syndrome -- for which there is still no vaccine and which has an extremely high fatality rate of more than 51 percent. It is considered a cousin of the SARS virus that erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died. Like SARS, MERS is thought to have jumped from animals to humans, and it shares the former's flu-like symptoms -- but differs by also causing kidney failure. According to research published this month in the American health journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, MERS was transmitted to humans from bats. But a study in the Lancet found the virus could have come from camels. Source:
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| skibboy | 19 Sep 2013, 11:45 PM Post #10 |
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19 SEPTEMBER 2013 Two Saudis die of MERS virus AFP - Two Saudis have died after contracting the MERS coronavirus, the health ministry said on Thursday, bringing the total number of fatalities from the SARS-like virus in the kingdom to 49. A 75-year-old woman, who had suffered chronic illnesses, died in the western city of Medina, while a man, 83, who also had chronic diseases, died in the capital, the ministry website said. The ministry also registered three new cases, bringing to 107 the total number of infections in Saudi Arabia, the country worst hit by the virus. The World Health Organisation said on September 7 that it has been informed of 114 cases of MERS infection worldwide, among them 54 fatalities. Experts are struggling to understand MERS -- Middle East Respiratory Syndrome -- for which there is still no vaccine. It is considered a cousin of the SARS virus that erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died. Like SARS, MERS is thought to have jumped from animals to humans, and it shares the former's flu-like symptoms -- but differs by also causing kidney failure. The MERS problem persists in Saudi Arabia, which is gearing up to host around two million Muslims in October for the annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. Authorities have urged the elderly and chronically ill to avoid the hajj this year and have cut back on the numbers of people they will allow to perform the pilgrimage. Source:
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| skibboy | 29 Oct 2013, 01:09 AM Post #11 |
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28 OCTOBER 2013 Woman dies of MERS raising Saudi toll to 52 ![]() Muslim piligrims wear masks as they arrive for morning prayer at the Grand Mosque on October 13, 2013, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, where more than two million people gathered for the annual hajj pilgrimage amid concerns over the deadly MERS coronavirus AFP - A woman in her 80s with the MERS virus has died in the Eastern Province, raising to 52 the death toll from the infection in Saudi Arabia, the health ministry announced Monday. It said the woman, aged 83, also suffered from chronic diseases. Saudi authorities have recorded 124 cases of the infection, which has now claimed 52 lives, since it first appeared in September 2012 in the Gulf state, the world's worst hit country. But no cases were announced during the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca in the west of the kingdom earlier this month. MERS is considered a deadlier but less-transmissible cousin of the SARS virus that erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died, and sowed economic chaos. Source:
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| skibboy | 10 Nov 2013, 12:37 AM Post #12 |
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09 NOVEMBER 2013 Saudi reports two new cases of MERS virus ![]() A Muslim pilgrim wears a mask as he arrives to perform evening prayers in Mecca's Grand Mosque, on October 8, 2013 AFP - Saudi Arabia has recorded two new cases of the MERS virus, the health ministry said on Saturday, a day after authorities in neighbouring Qatar reported one new case. Saudi Arabia accounts for a full 52 of 127 deaths worldwide from the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) so far, while Qatar accounts for two. The two new cases were both Saudis, the ministry reported on its website, one a 72-year-old in Riyadh with pre-existing health problems, the other a 43-year-old in the commercial capital Jeddah. The case in Qatar is of a 48-year-old foreign resident who is also suffering from chronic illness, health authorities said. MERS is considered a deadlier but less-transmissible cousin of the SARS virus that erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died, and sowed economic chaos. Since MERS first appeared in September last year, virtually of the deaths have been in the Gulf or among people who had recently travelled there. Source:
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| skibboy | 11 Nov 2013, 12:26 AM Post #13 |
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10 NOVEMBER 2013 Saudi MERS death toll reaches 53 AFP - Saudi health authorities announced on Sunday a new death caused by MERS, bringing to 53 the number of fatalities in the kingdom by the coronavirus. The health ministry gave no details on the latest death in the country most affected by the disease that first appeared in the Gulf state in September 2012. The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has so far cost 64 lives worldwide, according to a November 4 update by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Experts are struggling to understand MERS, for which there is no vaccine. It is considered a deadlier but less-transmissible cousin of the SARS virus that erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died. Like SARS, MERS appears to cause a lung infection, with patients suffering from a temperature, cough and breathing difficulty. But it differs in that it also causes rapid kidney failure and the extremely high death rate has caused serious concern. In August, researchers pointed to Arabian camels as possible hosts of the virus. Source:
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| skibboy | 21 Nov 2013, 01:11 AM Post #14 |
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20 NOVEMBER 2013 Saudi announces new MERS death ![]() A woman waits at the entrance of a hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on May 14, 2013 AFP - Saudi health authorities on Wednesday announced a new MERS death, raising to 54 the number of people killed by the coronavirus in the country with the most fatalities. A 73-year-old Saudi woman, infected by the virus and who had suffered chronic illnesses, died in Riyadh, the health ministry said in a statement on its website. It also reported a new infection of a 65-year-old Saudi man in the northern Al-Jawf province, currently receiving treatment at a Riyadh hospital. The World Health Organisation says it has been informed of 155 laboratory-confirmed MERS cases worldwide so far, including 64 deaths, most of them in Saudi Arabia. Experts are struggling to understand the disease, for which there is no vaccine. It is considered a deadlier but less-transmissible cousin of the SARS virus that erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died. Like SARS, MERS appears to cause a lung infection, with patients suffering from a temperature, coughing and breathing difficulties. But it differs in that it also causes rapid kidney failure, and the extremely high death rate has caused serious concern. In August, researchers pointed to Arabian camels as possible hosts of the virus. And the Saudi government said on November 11 that a camel in the kingdom had tested positive for MERS, the first case of an animal infected with the coronavirus. Source:
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| skibboy | 17 Feb 2014, 01:52 AM Post #15 |
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16 February 2014 Saudi records 60th MERS virus death AFP ![]() A foreign worker wears a mask as he rides a bicycle near the King Fahad hospital in the city of Hofuf, east of the capital Riyadh, on June 16, 2013 Saudi health authorities have announced the death of a young man from the MERS coronavirus, bringing the death toll from the respiratory disease in the kingdom to 60. The health ministry website said the latest victim of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in the country is a 22-year-old who was also suffering from cancer. Saudi Arabia, the country worst hit by MERS, has recorded 145 cases, of which 60 have now proved fatal, since the virus first appeared in September 2012. Experts are struggling to understand the disease, for which there is no vaccine. MERS is considered a deadlier but less-transmissible cousin of the SARS virus that erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died. The World Health Organisation says on its website that the WHO has now been told of 182 cases of MERS infection worldwide, and 79 deaths. Source:
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| skibboy | 22 Apr 2014, 01:05 AM Post #16 |
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Saudi officials see spike in MERS coronavirus cases By Leone Lakhani, CNN April 21, 2014 ![]() Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (CNN) -- Saudi health officials are stepping up efforts to fight the Middle East respiratory symptom coronavirus, or MERS-CoV, after a recent spike in cases. Saudi Arabia confirmed more than 50 cases of the virus in the past week, at least seven of which were fatal. The Saudi Health Ministry says 13 new cases were reported Monday alone, bringing the total to 257. It is not clear why there was a sudden increase, said Dr. Abdullah Al-Asiri, assistant undersecretary at the Saudi Ministry of Health and a member of the Scientific Committee of Infectious Diseases. "We have faced an increase in the number of cases around the same time last year at the end of winter," the Saudi Press Agency quotes him as saying. Last week, reports on social media said health care workers had refused to treat MERS-CoV patients. The government has since issued a statement saying ambulance services that refused would be suspended from work and investigated. Saudi officials have also called on the World Health Organization and a group of medical experts to meet at the end of this month to discuss the status of the virus. In a prepared statement, Ministry of Health spokesman Khalid Marghalani said a drug company would be arriving in Saudi Arabia to discuss the production of a vaccine to fight the virus. MERS-CoV was discovered in September 2012. The World Health Organization reported Sunday that 250 cases have been confirmed globally with 93 deaths worldwide. A new cluster of the virus was reported in the United Arab Emirates this week, as were the first cases in Greece and Malaysia. MERS-CoV comes from the same group of viruses as the common cold and attacks the respiratory system, the U.S.-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Symptoms, which include fever, cough and shortness of breath, can lead to pneumonia and kidney failure. Although many of the cases have occurred on the Arabian Peninsula, people have died of the infection elsewhere, including in European countries and Tunisia in North Africa. However, all of the people involved contracted the disease in the Middle East before being diagnosed. Limited human-to-human transmission of the disease has also occurred in other countries. Health officials do not know exactly how the virus spreads, and they stress hygiene, such as diligent hand-washing, to limit its spread. The WHO has not recommended any MERS-related travel restrictions but says member countries should monitor any unusual respiratory infection patterns in travelers to the Arabian Peninsula. Source:
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| skibboy | 26 Apr 2014, 01:44 AM Post #17 |
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25 April 2014 Saudi MERS death toll now 87 AFP ![]() Medical workers and foreigners wear a mouth and nose mask as they leave a local hospital's emergency department in the Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on April 22, 2014 Saudi Arabia announced Friday two more deaths from the MERS coronavirus, taking the country's toll to 87, a day after King Abdullah tried to reassure a worried public. A health ministry bulletin on the Internet said a total of 299 cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome had been detected in the kingdom since MERS first appeared in September 2012. On Thursday, King Abdullah was in the Red Sea city and commercial hub of Jeddah which has seen a spate of cases among health staff in recent weeks that have sparked fears the virus has mutated to make it more transmissible from person to person. Public concern has been fuelled by the reported resignation last week of at least four doctors at Jeddah's King Fahd Hospital after they refused to treat MERS patients for fear of infection. The World Health Organisation announced on Wednesday that it had offered to send international experts to Saudi Arabia to investigate "any evolving risk" resulting from the apparent change in transmission pattern. MERS is considered a deadlier but less-transmissible cousin of the SARS virus which erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died. Source:
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| skibboy | 27 Apr 2014, 12:01 AM Post #18 |
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Saudis: More deaths from respiratory syndrome By Kisa Mlela Santiago and Leone Lakhani, CNN April 26, 2014 Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (CNN) -- At least 14 new cases of the Middle East respiratory symptom coronavirus, or MERS-CoV, have been detected in Saudi Arabia, the health ministry said in its latest statement about the condition. Of those new cases, five of the patients died within 24 hours. This brings the total number of known cases to 313, including 92 deaths, the ministry said Friday. Saudi health officials continue to step up efforts to combat the virus amid news of a spike in cases. It is not clear why there was a sudden increase, said Dr. Abdullah Al-Asiri, assistant undersecretary at the Saudi Ministry of Health and a member of the Scientific Committee of Infectious Diseases. "We have faced an increase in the number of cases around the same time last year at the end of winter," the Saudi Press Agency quotes him as saying. State media reported Monday that former Minister of Health Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabiah had stepped down after the sharp rise in cases. Saudi officials have called on the World Health Organization and a group of medical experts to meet at the end of this month to discuss the status of the virus. Ministry of Health spokesman Khalid Marghalani said recently a drug company would be arriving in Saudi Arabia to discuss the production of a vaccine to fight the virus. Last week, reports on social media said health care workers had refused to treat MERS-CoV patients. The government has since issued a statement saying ambulance services that refused would be suspended from work and investigated. MERS-CoV was discovered in September 2012. The World Health Organization reported Sunday that 250 cases have been confirmed globally with 93 deaths worldwide. A new cluster of the virus was reported in the United Arab Emirates earlier this week, as were the first cases in Greece and Malaysia. MERS-CoV comes from the same group of viruses as the common cold and attacks the respiratory system, the U.S.-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Symptoms, which include fever, cough and shortness of breath, can lead to pneumonia and kidney failure. Although many of the cases have occurred on the Arabian Peninsula, people have died of the infection elsewhere, including in European countries and Tunisia in North Africa. However, all of the people involved contracted the disease in the Middle East before being diagnosed. Limited human-to-human transmission of the disease has also occurred in other countries. Health officials do not know exactly how the virus spreads, and they stress hygiene, such as diligent hand-washing, to limit its spread. The WHO has not recommended any MERS-related travel restrictions but says member countries should monitor any unusual respiratory infection patterns in travelers to the Arabian Peninsula. CNN's Yousuf Basil and Mohammed Jamjoom contributed to this report Source:
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| skibboy | 28 Apr 2014, 11:58 PM Post #19 |
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27 April 2014 Saudi Mers death toll passes 100 ![]() There is growing concern in Saudi Arabia about the spread of Mers Saudi Arabia says more than 100 patients infected with the Mers coronavirus have now died since the outbreak began in 2012. The health ministry said another eight deaths occurred on Sunday, taking the toll to 102. The acting health minister says three hospitals in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam have been designated specialist centres for treating Mers. Mers causes symptoms including fever, pneumonia and kidney failure. The rate of infections is increasing and the World Health Organization (WHO) has offered to help Saudi Arabia investigate infection patterns. The Saudi health ministry reported the latest deaths in a statement late on Sunday. Among the victims were a child in the capital, Riyadh, and three people in the western city of Jeddah. The ministry said it had detected a total of 16 new cases of Mers (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) over the past 24 hours. Acting health minister Adel Fakieh said the three hospitals designated as specialist centres for Mers treatment can accommodate 146 patients in intensive care. On Saturday, Egypt recorded its first case - a 27-year-old man who had recently returned from Saudi Arabia. Correspondents say many Saudis have voiced concerns on social media about government handling of the outbreak. Last Monday, Saudi health minister Abdullah al-Rabiah was sacked without explanation as the Mers death toll climbed. Source:
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| skibboy | 30 Apr 2014, 01:16 AM Post #20 |
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29 April 2014 Saudi announces 3 new MERS deaths, toll hits 105 AFP ![]() A Saudi man covers his mouth and nose while he walks down a main street in Riyadh on April 29, 2014 Saudi health authorities announced Tuesday three new deaths from the MERS coronavirus, as a group of experts met to discuss means of preventing the spread of the disease. Three men -- aged 56, 61, and 79 -- died of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in Riyadh, bringing to 105 the total deaths since the disease appeared in the kingdom in September 2012, the health ministry said. At the same time, the ministry said six new infections have raised the total number of cases diagnosed to 345, representing the bulk of infections registered globally. Meanwhile, acting health minister Adel Fakieh said a group of Western experts and representatives of the World Health Organisation (WHO) have met for two days in Riyadh to discuss "a series of preventive measures... to contain the spread" of MERS. "These measures will be announced in the coming days," Fakieh told reporters, without elaborating. Public concern over the spread of MERS mounted earlier this month after the resignation of at least four doctors at Jeddah's King Fahd Hospital who refused to treat patients for fear of infection. Last week, the WHO announced its readiness to send international experts to Saudi Arabia to investigate "any evolving risk" associated with the transmission pattern of the virus. MERS is considered a deadlier but less-transmissible cousin of the SARS virus that erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died. There are no vaccines or antiviral treatments for MERS, a severe respiratory disease with a mortality rate of more than 40 percent that experts are still struggling to understand. But scientists at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in the United States have identified natural human antibodies -- proteins made by the immune system that recognise foreign viruses and bacteria -- against the virus that causes MERS. In laboratory studies reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a scientific journal, researchers found that these "neutralising" antibodies prevented a key part of the virus, known as MERS CoV, from attaching to protein receptors that allow the virus to infect human cells. Further experiments are under way that could lead to development of antibody preventives and treatments for MERS, the scientists say. Source:
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| skibboy | 1 May 2014, 01:09 AM Post #21 |
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30 April 2014 2 new MERS deaths bring Saudi toll to 107 AFP Saudi health authorities announced Wednesday two new deaths from the MERS coronavirus in the kingdom, where 16 more infections were also detected. A 41-year-old man in the northwestern city of Tabuk and an 88-year-old in Riyadh died of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, bringing to 107 the total deaths since the disease appeared in the kingdom in September 2012, the health ministry said. At the same time, the ministry said 16 new infections nationwide have raised the total number of cases diagnosed to 361, representing the bulk of infections registered globally. Public concern over the spread of MERS mounted earlier this month after the resignation of at least four doctors at Jeddah's King Fahd Hospital who refused to treat patients for fear of infection. Acting health minister Adel Fakieh said Tuesday that measures to contain the spread of MERS "will be announced in the coming days" as Western experts and representatives of the World Health Organisation met in Riyadh this week. MERS is considered a deadlier but less-transmissible cousin of the SARS virus that erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died. There are no vaccines or antiviral treatments for MERS, a severe respiratory disease with a mortality rate of more than 40 percent that experts are still struggling to understand. Source:
Edited by skibboy, 1 May 2014, 01:10 AM.
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| skibboy | 6 May 2014, 01:33 AM Post #22 |
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05 May 2014 Saudi MERS death toll reaches 115 AFP Saudi health authorities announced on Monday that the death toll from the MERS coronavirus has reached 115 since the respiratory disease first appeared in the kingdom in 2012. Three people died on Saturday after contracting MERS in the commercial capital Jeddah -- a 45-year-old man and two women, aged 50 and 54, the health ministry said on its website. It said a 77-year-old man had also died of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Riyadh on Friday. The country's number of MERS infections has meanwhile risen to 414, the world's highest tally, the ministry reported. American health officials on Friday confirmed the first case of MERS in the United States, a health care provider who had travelled to Riyadh for work. Last week, Egypt recorded its first infection after a person who had arrived from Saudi Arabia tested positive. MERS is considered a deadlier but less-transmissible cousin of the SARS virus that erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died. There are no vaccines or antiviral treatments for MERS, a disease with a mortality rate of more than 40 percent that experts are still struggling to understand. Some research has suggested that camels are a likely source of the virus. Source:
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| skibboy | 11 May 2014, 01:12 AM Post #23 |
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10 May 2014 Seven new MERS deaths in Saudi Arabia AFP Saudi Arabia announced seven more deaths from the MERS coronavirus Saturday, as the World Health Organisation prepared for an emergency meeting over worries about the spread of the disease. The Middle East Respiratory System coronavirus has now killed 133 people and infected 473 in the kingdom since it first appeared in 2012, accounting for the bulk of cases registered across the globe. In its most recent tally, which was updated to midday on Friday, the Saudi health ministry said three men aged 94, 51 and 42 had died from the disease in the western region of Jeddah. It added a 74-year-old man had died in the city of Taef, while a woman, 71, and two men aged 81 and 25 respectively, had died in the capital Riyadh. MERS is considered a deadlier but less-transmissible cousin of the SARS virus that broke out in Asia in 2003, infecting 8,273 people and killing nearly 800 of them. 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. Experts are struggling to understand the disease and there are currently no vaccines or antiviral treatments for MERS. The announcement of the latest fatalities in Saudi Arabia came the day after the WHO said it would hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss the spread of the virus. The UN health agency's emergency committee has already met four times to discuss the mysterious coronavirus since it surfaced in 2012. "The increase in the number of cases in different countries raises a number of questions," spokesman Tarik Jasarevic told reporters in Geneva on Friday, without giving further details of the aim of the new talks. MERS cases have also been reported in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon and even the United States, with most involving people who had travelled to Saudi Arabia or worked there, often as medical staff. Source:
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| skibboy | 11 May 2014, 11:10 PM Post #24 |
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11 May 2014 Mers virus: Saudis warned to wear masks near camels ![]() Research has been focusing on the role of the camel in the spread of the virus Saudi Arabia has urged its citizens to wear masks and gloves when dealing with camels so as to avoid spreading the deadly Mers virus. The agriculture ministry advised people not to come into contact with camels unless necessary and to wash their hands if they did. Saudia Arabia is the country by far most affected by Mers, with 133 deaths since the virus was detected in 2012. Nearly 500 people in the kingdom have been infected. ![]() Mers is part of a large family of viruses Mers - Middle East respiratory syndrome - has also spread to other countries in the Middle East. The disease is a coronavirus, a large family of viruses that also includes the common cold and Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome). It causes fever, pneumonia and kidney failure. "It is advisable to wear protective gloves, especially when dealing with births or sick or dead (camels)," the agriculture ministry said in a statement. It suggested boiling camel milk and only eating cooked camel meat. The ministry's statement comes as research by health experts has focused on the role of the camel as a carrier of the virus. The camel is a central part of traditional Saudi life and the authorities have only recently linked the outbreak to the animals. But some farmers have mocked the official warnings, with one posting a video of himself hugging and kissing his camels, asking one to sneeze into his face. Source:
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| skibboy | 13 May 2014, 12:34 AM Post #25 |
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12 May 2014 Saudi homes in on camels in bid to combat MERS AFP ![]() An Indian worker wears a face mask as he touches a camel at his Saudi employer's farm on May 12, 2014 outside Riyadh Saudi authorities have issued fresh warnings on how to handle the desert kingdom's wealth of camels, thought to be the source of the mysterious MERS coronavirus in the Gulf state. The Middle East Respiratory System has now killed 142 people out of 483 infected in Saudi Arabia since it first appeared in 2012, with cases in the kingdom accounting for the vast majority registered globally. With scientists still struggling to understand the illness and no vaccine or antiviral treatments available to combat its spread, Saudi authorities have introduced new guidelines to try to stem the trickle of new cases reported nearly every day. The agriculture ministry has urged Saudis handling camels to wear masks and gloves to avoid catching the disease, in a statement published in local media. The warning came after scientific studies commissioned by the health ministry suggested a connection between camels and the virus. 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. - Virus common in camels - Earlier research had shown the virus was "extraordinarily common" in camels for at least 20 years and may have been passed directly from the animals to humans. Camel meat must be cooked and its milk boiled before consumption, the agriculture ministry said, echoing recommendations from acting health minister Adel Fakieh following a visit of World Health Organisation experts last week. Former health minister Abdullah al-Rabiah warned last month against assuming that camels were behind the virus, insisting that "one should not jump to conclusions." He was dismissed days later on April 21 without official explanation and replaced by Labour Minister Fakieh who immediately promised "transparency" in providing the public and media with information on MERS. The ministry now publishes a daily detailed bulletin on its website updating the numbers of MERS infections and deaths. Last week, Fakieh also announced the sacking of the head of Jeddah's King Fahd Hospital, where a spike in MERS infections among medical staff sparked panic among the public. After its five-day mission to Jeddah, the WHO pinpointed breaches in its "recommended infection prevention and control measures" as being partly responsible for an increase in infections in the Red Sea city. - No changes for pilgrimage - Amid rising concerns over MERS's spread, the WHO is preparing for an emergency meeting to discuss the virus -- the fifth time the UN health agency's emergency committee has met about the mystery coronavirus. Months before the annual hajj pilgrimage to the Muslim holy sites in Mecca and Medina, the number of reported cases is climbing steadily. Jeddah will be the main point of entry for pilgrims from overseas when they arrive in September. Pilgrims still trickle into Mecca for the lesser pilgrimage -- the umra -- that can be performed at any time, especially during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which starts in July. Saudi Arabia's hajj ministry has not yet taken any special measures related to MERS. The WHO also said it does not advise special screening at points of entry, nor does it currently recommend the application of any travel or trade restrictions, "including for upcoming pilgrimage travel to Saudi Arabia." Fakieh has announced an awareness campaign to help stop the disease's spread, and doctors, academics and journalists have launched initiatives of their own to encourage the public to adopt new hygiene measures recommended by the government. "The campaign targets public gatherings, hospitals, and markets... to raise awareness among people," said Alia Banaja, who runs a campaign in Jeddah, where some people have started wearing masks, a measure only recommended in hospitals. MERS cases have also been reported in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon and even the United States, with most involving people who had travelled to Saudi Arabia or worked there, often as medical staff. Source:
Edited by skibboy, 13 May 2014, 12:35 AM.
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