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| MERS Virus Outbreak | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: 18 Jun 2013, 12:06 AM (675 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 | 3 Jun 2014, 11:35 PM Post #26 |
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3 June 2014 Mers virus: Saudi Arabia raises death toll to 282 ![]() The Mers virus has been indentified in almost a dozen countries but has hit Saudi Arabia the hardest Saudi Arabia says 282 people are now confirmed to have been killed by the Mers virus, almost 100 more than initially thought. The increase came after a national review of hospital data from the time the virus emerged in 2012. The deputy health minister, who has been criticised for his handling of the crisis, was sacked on Monday. Cases of the virus, for which there is no known cure, have been confirmed in almost a dozen other countries. Saudi authorities said there had now been 688 confirmed Mers (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) infections in the kingdom. Before the revision the number of cases was believed to be 575. Saudi health ministry spokesman Tariq Madani said that despite the revised figures, fewer people were now contracting the disease. "Though the review showed confirmed cases that needed to be added, we are still witnessing a decline in the number of newly registered cases in the past few weeks" he said. Deadly symptoms Of those infected, the country's health ministry said, 53 were still receiving treatment. Saudi Arabia has registered the largest number of infections of Mers. The virus is from the same family as the common cold, but can lead to kidney failure and pneumonia. Cases have also been confirmed in Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Italy, Tunisia, Egypt, the UK and, most recently, the US. Camels are suspected to be the main source of infection for humans. Saudi authorities have urged citizens to wear protective masks when dealing with the animals. The government's handling of the outbreak has been criticised, says the BBC's Arab affairs editor Sebastian Usher. Critics have accused it of rejecting outside scientific help that might have helped stem the spread of the virus, our correspondent says. ![]() Camels are suspected of passing the infection to humans On Monday, the day before the figures were revised, the Deputy Health Minister Ziad Memish was sacked without explanation. In April Saudi's King Abdullah sacked the health minister as the death toll climbed. Source:
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| skibboy | 26 Jun 2014, 11:50 PM Post #27 |
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26 June 2014 Big jump in Mers cases reported By James Gallagher Health editor, BBC News online ![]() More than 100 more cases and 34 deaths from the new respiratory disease Mers-coronavirus have been reported by officials in Saudi Arabia. The cases date back to February and came to light after an analysis of hospital records. The World Health Organization says there have now been 820 cases of Mers and 286 deaths. The exact source of the novel infection is still uncertain, but camels are a prime suspect. The virus is from the same family as the common cold, but can lead to kidney failure and pneumonia. It was first detected in June 2012. The update from the Saudi authorities said there were 113 additional cases - 76 of the patients recovered, three are still in hospital and 34 have died. Cases have also been confirmed in Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Italy, Tunisia, Egypt, the UK and the US - usually after travel to Saudi Arabia. Source? ![]() Researchers believe the coronavirus that causes the infection crossed over from animals. Earlier this month, a report in the New England Journal of Medicine found "identical" Mers viruses in camels and their owner. However, the link had not been conclusively proven and some researchers argue there may be another source. The figures do show that nearly half of the cases were spread between people. It seems to have spread after close contact with family member or medical staff. The World Health Organization does not recommend restrictions on trade or travel, but does warn people to avoid raw camel milk, camel urine and to ensure meat is properly cooked. Source:
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| skibboy | 29 Oct 2014, 02:38 AM Post #28 |
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28 October 2014 MERS still 'significant' threat to Saudi Arabia © AFP/File | Muslim pilgrims wear masks to protect them from Ebola and the MERS virus as they arrive for prayer at Mecca's Grand Mosque on September 29, 2014 RIYADH (AFP) - The deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) remains a significant threat to Saudi Arabia, the health ministry said on Tuesday after a series of cases in the western city of Taif. The virus, believed to be transmitted from camels to humans, has infected at least 17 people in Taif since September 5, a ministry statement said. That is about half of the 38 cases reported in the kingdom since that date. "MERS-CoV remains a significant health threat in Saudi Arabia," the ministry said. MERS has hit the kingdom hardest, killing 333 people since June 2012. The virus has also appeared in about 20 other nations. According to data on the health ministry's website, five of the nine MERS deaths since October 16 were in Taif. Health officials are "particularly concerned about breaking the chain of transmission in Taif, where a cluster was identified in September," the ministry said. Primary cases in Taif involved people who had unprotected contact with camels and then came into contact with others, including healthcare workers, it added. "The situation in Taif is still under investigation and we expect to see more cases in the coming days and weeks," said Anees Sindi, deputy commander of the health ministry's command and control centre, which coordinates the response to MERS. The ministry reiterated that proper hand-washing and "coughing etiquette" are essential steps to reduce the infection risk. "Members of the public are also urged to avoid contact with camels and refrain from consuming raw camel milk or undercooked camel meat," it said. There have been 780 confirmed cases of MERS in the kingdom since June 2012. Source:
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| skibboy | 11 Feb 2015, 02:20 AM Post #29 |
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10 February 2015 Saudi warns of MERS surge linked to baby camels © AFP/File | A Saudi wears a mouth and nose mask as he leads camels at his farm on May 12, 2014, outside Riyadh RIYADH (AFP) - Saudi authorities warned Tuesday of a possible spike soon in cases of the deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) because of the risk posed from newborn camels. The World Health Organization (WHO) has cited the preliminary results of studies indicating that people working with camels are at increased risk of infection from MERS-CoV, and young camels are particularly susceptible. Doctor Abdul Aziz bin Saeed, who heads the health ministry centre coordinating the response to MERS, told AFP a surge typically occurs around this time of year and "could be very likely" again without proper health education efforts. "By this time they are two months, three months (old).... They are vulnerable to the infection and so you have more camels at risk of getting the infection. So you have more infected camels right now circulating," he said. The kingdom has been hardest hit by the virus, which was first identified three years ago. A total of 857 people have been infected there, 366 of whom have died, according to health ministry data. A public awareness campaign is ongoing, with the WHO urging people working with camels to pay particular attention to personal hygiene. The ministry recommends proper hand-washing, and coughing and sneezing into a tissue, as among the steps to reduce the risk of infection. Symptoms of MERS can include fever, a cough and difficulty breathing. More than 20 countries have been affected by MERS since 2012. Source:
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| skibboy | 28 Feb 2015, 12:50 AM Post #30 |
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27 February 2015 Saudi reports 10 MERS deaths in a week RIYADH (AFP) - Ten more people in Saudi Arabia have died from MERS over the past week, health ministry figures showed on Friday, after an international mission urged extra measures to combat the virus. Saudi Arabia is the country worst-hit by Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). The latest deaths occurred between February 20 and 26, adding to a surge of cases which has killed 27 people since the start of the month. Doctor Abdul Aziz bin Saeed, who heads the centre coordinating the ministry's response to MERS, warned in early February that a rise in cases typically occurs around this time of year, when there are more juvenile camels circulating. The World Health Organization (WHO) has cited the preliminary results of studies indicating that people working with camels are at increased risk of infection from MERS-CoV, and young camels are particularly susceptible. But representatives of the WHO and other UN agencies who concluded a visit to the kingdom this week said there was an urgent need for greater understanding of the "animal/human interface". "There are so many aspects of the virus that are still unknown," said Berhe Tekola, of the Food and Agriculture Organization. The mission urged "improving disease prevention, especially in health facilities that continue to experience avoidable infections". Saudi Arabia has implemented a public education campaign about MERS but the statement said "efforts to educate professionals and the public are urgently needed." According to health ministry figures, a total of 916 people have been infected with MERS since it was first identified in the kingdom in 2012. Of those, 392 have died. More than 20 countries have been affected by the virus but most cases have been linked to the Middle East. Source:
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| skibboy | 9 Jun 2015, 12:09 AM Post #31 |
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Sixth Mers death in South Korea amid sharp rises in cases 8 June 2015 A sixth person has died after contracting Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers) in South Korea, amid a sharp rise in infections. More than 23 people were confirmed to have contracted the disease on Sunday, bringing the total to 87, health officials say. It is the biggest outbreak of Mers outside the Middle East. About 2,300 people have been placed under quarantine and nearly 1,900 schools have been closed. On Monday morning, a man in his 80s became the latest person to die of Mers-related illness in Daejeon, about 140km (87 miles) south of Seoul. On Saturday a 75-year-old man died after contracting the virus. He had been in a Seoul hospital alongside other sufferers when he became ill. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers) ![]() The first fatality from Mers was recorded in June 2012 in Saudi Arabia -Mers is caused by a new type of coronavirus, a type of virus which includes the common cold and Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome). -First cases emerged in the Middle East in 2012, and the first death in Saudi Arabia in June that year. -Patients have a fever, cough and breathing difficulties, but Mers can also cause pneumonia and kidney failure. -Approximately 36% of reported patients with Mers have died - there is no vaccine or specific treatment Source: World Health Organization ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Close contact Seventeen of the 23 new cases were infected at the Samsung Medical Centre in Seoul, the health ministry said. All the infections so far have been confined to hospitals with transmission occurring between patients, staff and their families in close contact. ![]() Members of the public have been wearing masks to protect themselves Health officials have released the names of the 24 hospitals - mainly in Seoul and the province of Gyeonggi - involved in the outbreak. The first Mers case in South Korea was a man who became infected during a business trip to Saudi Arabia, where the disease was first identified three years ago. Medical authorities have been criticised for the way they have handled the outbreak. Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon accused central government of not providing enough information to citizens about the virus. But Health Minister Moon Hyung-pyo rejected the claim, saying such comments risked increasing public concern. Source:
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| skibboy | 10 Jun 2015, 12:16 AM Post #32 |
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MERS outbreak claims new victim as Hong Kong issues travel warning![]() © Jung Yeon-Je, AFP | South Korean school students wear face masks during a special class on MERS virus at a school in Seoul on June 3, 2015 2015-06-09 South Korea’s health ministry on Tuesday revealed that a seventh patient infected with the MERS virus had died as Hong Kong issued an alert restricting travel to the East Asian country. The ministry said it had identified eight new cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), bringing the total number of known infections in the country to 95. However, the figure represented a sharp drop in the number of new daily cases, with 23 reported on Monday. Korean authorities meanwhile closed a growing number of schools, shutting out students from 2,199 separate institutions, including 19 universities. Nam Kyung-pil, governor of Gyeonggi province, which surrounds the South Korean capital of Seoul, said the country was fighting two wars: “The war against the disease and the war against fear.” ‘Red alert’ warning Officials in Hong Kong also rushed to stem a further spread of the killer virus, saying on Tuesday that the Asian business hub would issue a red alert against non-essential travel to South Korea. Hong Kong’s number two official, Carrie Lam, told reporters just ahead of a meeting of the city’s Executive Council that the red alert would be issued. A red alert is defined as a “significant threat” according to the Hong Kong government, and means people should “adjust travel plans” and “avoid non-essential travel”. The World Health Organization (WHO) began work on a joint mission with South Korean doctors and officials to review the country’s response to the outbreak that began in May. The WHO has not recommended any curb on travel, but thousands of travellers have reportedly cancelled plans to visit South Korea. A national effort The seventh reported death in South Korea was a 68-year-old woman who had an existing heart ailment and had been in the emergency room of a Seoul hospital, to where a number of previous confirmed cases had been traced. Three of the latest cases came from the same emergency room, which has 37 out of the total of 95 patients, the ministry said. All 95 cases of infection took place in health care facilities, according to officials. South Korean President Park Geun-hye has called for an all-out national effort to eradicate the outbreak, which has been spreading since a businessman brought it home from a Middle East trip last month. South Korea has the second highest number of infections after Saudi Arabia, according to data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. South Korea’s new cases bring the total of MERS cases globally to 1,244, based on World Health Organization (WHO) data, with at least 446 related deaths. Source: (FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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| skibboy | 11 Jun 2015, 12:41 AM Post #33 |
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South Korean president postpones US trip amid MERS crisis![]() © AFP I The MERS virus outbreak in South Korea has sparked mounting public concern 2015-06-10 South Korean President Park Geun-hye postponed a US visit on Wednesday amid an outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), as two more people died and 13 new cases were reported, lifting the total number of patients to 108. Park had been due to leave for the United States, her country’s closest ally, on Sunday and meet President Barack Obama on Tuesday. Her office said the coming week would be a “watershed” for the country’s response to the disease. The outbreak has fuelled public anxiety, with thousands in quarantine and the number of schools closing rising to 2,474, including 22 universities. Many people on the streets are wearing face masks, while attendance at movie theatres and baseball games has dwindled. First identified in humans in 2012, MERS is caused by a coronavirus from the same family as the one that triggered China’s deadly 2003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). There is no cure or vaccine. Some countries around the region have issued advisories against travel to South Korea or stepped up screening of inbound passengers, dealing a setback to a tourism sector that had been a bright spot for the flagging South Korean economy. Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd said it had seen a drop in bookings to South Korea. The World Health Organization (WHO), which began work on Tuesday with South Korea to analyse the virus and review the response, has not recommended any curbs on travel or trade. “Please do not be excessively worried or hold misunderstanding, and try to go on with your daily lives,” Deputy Prime Minister Choi Kyung-hwan told a televised news briefing, urging consumers to continue spending money. The latest two deaths, both cancer patients, bring the number of fatalities to nine. All of those who died had been suffering serious ailments before they tested positive for MERS virus, the Health Ministry said. South Korea’s infections have all been traced to a man who developed MERS after returning from a trip to the Middle East in early May and who came into contact with other patients at a hospital before being diagnosed. All subsequent infections, including the 13 announced on Wednesday, have been linked to health facilities, the ministry said. The number of people who may have been in contact with MERS patients and were now in quarantine rose to 3,439, while quarantine has been lifted for 641 people, the ministry said. Choi, also the finance minister, announced a 400 billion won ($357 million) financial package for business and regions affected by MERS, without giving specifics. South Korea’s central bank is expected to cut interest rates on Thursday to dampen the economic impact of the outbreak, according to a Reuters poll of analysts released on Tuesday. South Korea’s new cases bring the total number of MERS cases globally to 1,257 based on WHO data, with at least 448 related deaths. The country has the second highest number of cases after Saudi Arabia, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Source: (REUTERS)
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| skibboy | 13 Jun 2015, 12:46 AM Post #34 |
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Juvenile camels 'key source' of Mers By Jonathan Ball BBC News 12 June 2015 ![]() Mers is an emerging human infection, so scientists want to untangle the dynamics of the virus in camels Camels aged less than four years might be a major source of Mers, according to new research. An international team looked for evidence of current or past infection in more than 800 dromedary camels. They found that more than 90% of animals became infected by the age of two and virus shedding was more common in calves than in adults. The scientists argue that changes in animal husbandry may reduce the occurrence of human Mers infections. The study is published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. The first reports of human Mers coronavirus infection emerged in June 2012, although cases are likely to have occurred before then. More than 1,100 cases have been recorded and more than 400 people have died. Infections have been seen in 25 countries across Europe, Asia and Africa, but Saudi Arabia has experienced the biggest burden. Because of its devastating effects in humans scientists have been searching for the source of the virus, to try to identify ways in which human infections can be prevented. Speaking to BBC's Science in Action, Dr Müller who was involved in the earlier ground-breaking research looking for the origins or Mers said, "We could identify, in South Africa, bats that were carrying ancestral viruses: viruses that are [evolutionary] older than the Mers virus that we are seeing today". Out of Africa But, whilst related, these bat viruses were distinct from the Mers virus cropping up in humans. There had to be another source. Following a brainstorming meeting between the Bonn scientists and colleagues based at the Erasmus Medical College in the Netherlands, the researchers focussed their efforts on animals that had close contact with humans living in the Middle East: horses, cattle, sheep, goats and dromedary camels. The finding from their initial work was clear. Dromedary camels living in the Middle East had antibodies that recognised Mers virus protein - a strong sign of past infection. None of the other animals tested contained these. To gain further insight into the origins of this emerging human infection and the link to camels, the team then looked at samples obtained from dromedary camels living in other countries. ![]() In Saudi Arabia, camels are bred for racing among other uses The presence of Mers-reactive antibodies alone is not sufficient evidence - some antibodies can occasionally recognise several viruses belonging to the same families. So, rather than rely on the presence of antibodies alone, the team decided to look for the presence of neutralising antibodies - the antibodies that are able to stop a virus from infecting a cell - as these tend to be far more specific. "What we could see is that dromedary camels, not only in the Arabian Peninsula but also in Africa where most of the camels are bred then exported to the Arabian Peninsula, have really high levels of neutralising antibodies, which means that they must have been infected with Mers, or a very similar virus," Dr Müller said. "And we could see that, even in [samples obtained in] 1983, camels in Sudan and Somalia had neutralising antibodies." Clearly, Mers infection of camels in Africa and the Middle East was rife and this data highlighted that camels had been infected for decades. The buoyant international camel trade running between the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula would have provided ample opportunity for the virus to spread. Blame the little ones This past work provided a powerful argument that Mers virus was circulating in camels but it still wasn't clear whether particular groups of animals posed the biggest risks to humans. Knowing this might help in the development of measures aimed at reducing human infections. In the current study published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, an international team drawn from Bonn, Hong Kong and Dubai, looked at more than 900 camels living in Dubai for signs of both past and current Mers infection, in order to answer this camel conundrum. The camels were being farmed for their milk and meat and for racing. Blood, nose swabs or saliva samples were tested for the presence of Mers antibodies or for the presence of virus itself. The vast majority of samples from animals aged more than two years contained Mers antibodies, showing that the virus is a common camel juvenile infection. Crucially, active virus infection was observed far more frequently in animals less than four years old, with approximately 30% of camels aged less than one, shedding lots of virus. So, it's these very young animals that pose the greatest threat to humans. How the virus spreads to humans is still unknown. It might be through direct contact with body fluids from infected camels. Juvenile camels are very wary of humans and will normally avoid contact with them. However, when the juveniles are separated from their mothers - usually at or before the age of two - they are brought into contact with humans and this provides the perfect opportunity to pass on any virus that they are shedding. Alternatively, infection might also occur through drinking unpasteurised milk; possibly contaminated by transfer of virus present in the saliva of an infected calf onto the mother's teat during suckling. Commenting on the infection risk, Dr Müller said "When it comes to being infected, I think you really need close contact and in particular behaviour like kissing camels, drinking raw milk, touching the nostrils and then touching your eyes. That's the way to get infected. "It's not airborne, that's for sure, and you need quite a dose." The authors of the latest study argue that simple changes in animal husbandry, like delaying the age that calves are taken away from their mothers, is likely to reduce the chance of human infection. Source:
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| skibboy | 13 Jun 2015, 11:20 PM Post #35 |
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Mers South Korea: WHO says more cases anticipated 13 June 2015 ![]() Body heat scanners are among the tools South Korea is using to control the spread of Mers South Korea's outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome is "large and complex" and more cases are expected, World Health Organization experts say. But while it was premature to declare the outbreak over, the WHO said it had "found no evidence" of the Mers virus spreading wider in the community. About 140 people have been infected since the start of the outbreak last month. Fourteen are known to have died. Experts also urged the South Korean government to stay vigilant. Speaking in Seoul after a week-long investigation, the WHO's Keiji Fukuda said: "Because the outbreak has been large and is complex, more cases should be anticipated." He added: "At present the mission has found no evidence that there is ongoing transmission within the community." All of South Korea's cases have been linked to health facilities, but the WHO urged the government to continue to maintain strong control measures, thoroughly tracing infected people's contacts and preventing suspected patients from travelling. A number of factors may have contributed to the spread of the disease in South Korea so far, the WHO said, including: -Overcrowded emergency rooms and hospital wards -The habit of "doctor shopping" - visiting several facilities for the same complaint -Doctors unfamiliar with the disease About 2,900 schools were closed and 3,680 people were isolated as of Friday after possible contacts with those infected. Earlier this week, South Korea's central bank cut interest rates to a record low in a move seen as an attempt to stem the economic fallout from the outbreak in Asia's fourth largest economy, which was first reported last last month. The outbreak is the largest outside Saudi Arabia, where the disease was first identified in humans in 2012. Source:
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| skibboy | 14 Jun 2015, 12:50 AM Post #36 |
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13 June 2015 S.Korean man thought to have MERS hospitalised in Slovakia: official © AFP | A South Korean patient suspected of suffering from MERS is admitted to Kramare hospital in Bratislava, Slovakia on June 13, 2015 BRATISLAVA (AFP) - A South Korean man thought to have contracted the potentially deadly MERS virus was hospitalised in the Slovak capital Bratislava on Saturday, a spokeswoman said. "He is a 38-year-old man from South Korea who is suffering from diarrhoea, fever and lesions on his skin," Petra Stano Matasovska, from Bratislava's university hospital, told AFP, adding that the results of blood tests were expected to be released on Sunday. Source:
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| skibboy | 15 Jun 2015, 12:33 AM Post #37 |
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14 June 2015 More tests needed to rule out MERS for S.Korean man in Slovakia BRATISLAVA (AFP) - A South Korean man in isolation at a Slovakian hospital will undergo another round of tests to ensure he is not infected with the potentially fatal MERS virus, the hospital in Bratislava said Sunday. "There were no positive indications. Out of four indicators, three were negative, and one borderline," hospital spokeswoman Petra Stano Matasovska told AFP. "According to epidemiological rules, it is necessary to repeat the procedure." The 38-year-old South Korean arrived in Slovakia on June 3 and works for a subcontractor of Seoul carmaker Kia, which has a plant in the central European country. He was admitted to the emergency room Saturday with diarrhoea, fever and skin lesions. "New blood samples will be sent to a specialised lab in Prague. We need to wait another 24 hours to definitively rule out contamination," said Matasovska. She added that the patient was staying in a special isolated unit and that his condition was "slightly better." The man did not appear to have had contact with patients or to have visited venues where infections were reported in South Korea, Seoul's foreign ministry said Sunday. There is no vaccine for MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), which has a mortality rate of 35 percent, according to the World Health Organization. In South Korea 145 people have been infected, of which 15 died, after a 68-year-old man contracted the virus on a trip to Saudi Arabia in late May. In Saudi Arabia, more than 950 people were infected and 412 died from the coronavirus. Source:
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| skibboy | 16 Jun 2015, 12:48 AM Post #38 |
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South Korea hospital 'is source of many Mers cases' 14 June 2015 ![]() Song Jae-Hoon apologised for failings at the Samsung Medical Center A hospital has suspended most of its services after being identified as the source of almost half the cases in the South Korean outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers). The president of the Samsung Medical Center in the capital Seoul issued a public apology on Sunday. Health officials have reported seven new cases bringing the total to 145. Fifteen people are known to have died. Meanwhile, a South Korean man in Slovakia is being tested for the virus. The man reportedly works for a subcontractor of South Korean car maker Kia. Visitors banned Samsung Medical Center president Song Jae-hoon told reporters that the hospital would stop treating outpatients and admitting new patients to prevent further infections among patients and medical staff. He said no visitors would be allowed, and non-urgent surgery was being stopped. "We apologise for causing great concern as Samsung Medical Center became the centre of the spread of Mers," he said. ![]() Precautions at the Samsung Medical Center in Seoul have been stepped up "This is entirely our responsibility and failing, as we did not properly manage emergency-room staff." Mr Song said he would review the suspension on services on 24 June. More than 70 cases have been traced back to the hospital, authorities say. Among them was an emergency ward orderly who worked for days after developing symptoms and came into contact with more than 200 people, officials said. It is believed the orderly picked up the virus from an infected person who waited for days in various parts of the emergency ward, potentially exposing the virus to an estimated 900 staff, patients and visitors. South Korea reported seven new cases on Sunday and the 15th victim died in the city of Busan. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the outbreak is "large and complex" with further cases expected, although it does not expect the outbreak to spread among the wider community. The outbreak is the largest outside Saudi Arabia, where the disease was first identified in humans in 2012. Source:
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| skibboy | 16 Jun 2015, 11:21 PM Post #39 |
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South Korea begins plasma treatment trial for Mers 16 June 2015 ![]() Antibodies from the blood of survivors will be used as a treatment South Korea is to begin trials of an experimental plasma treatment for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers) which has now killed 19 people. The treatment - which has already proved useful for tackling other deadly diseases, including Ebola - uses blood from patients who have successfully fought off the same infection. To date, more than 150 people in the country have been infected with Mers. Also on Tuesday, Germany reported its first death from the disease. The 65-year-old man died in a clinic in the north-western city of Osnabruck, German media reports say. The South Korean health ministry said two hospitals would begin the plasma treatment trials. The outbreak in South Korea originated from a 68-year-old man who had travelled to the Middle East. He was diagnosed as the country's first Mers patient last month. Four new cases were reported there on Tuesday, as well as three deaths. Officials emphasise that the number of new cases is decreasing, but there is still widespread fear and misinformation. Health workers are spraying disinfectant inside karaoke rooms and other businesses, and teachers are sprinkling salt on school grounds in a misplaced attempt to protect themselves as many schools reopen this week. There is currently no cure or vaccine that can protect people from Mers. The disease is caused by a coronavirus from the same family as the one that triggered China's deadly 2003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) and is most likely spread by coughs and sneezes. Source:
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| skibboy | 18 Jun 2015, 11:34 PM Post #40 |
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S. Korea's MERS deaths reach 23 as authorities struggle to contain virus ![]() © AFP | South Korean health workers fumigate a theater at the Sejong Culture Center in Seoul on June 16, 2015 2015-06-18 South Korea said on Thursday that 23 people have died and more than 6,700 are isolated at homes and medical facilities as officials continue their efforts to put the MERS outbreak under control. More than 160 have been diagnosed with Middle East respiratory syndrome nearly a month after the outbreak originated from a 68-year-old man who had traveled to the Middle East, according to Seoul’s Health Ministry. Officials say that the outbreak has already peaked and could be defused by the end of the month. But the continued discovery of new cases among people who managed to slip through the quarantine measures has cast doubts on such optimism and raised questions about the government’s ability to control the situation. Critics, including Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, have blamed government officials for accelerating the spread of the MERS virus by failing to enforce tight control measures at Seoul’s Samsung Medical Center, which was belatedly shut down over the weekend after it continued to be the main source of the infections. Dozens of patients, medical staff and visitors have been infected with the MERS virus at the hospital, one of the country’s biggest, and they are believed to have contacted hundreds of other people before their conditions were confirmed. The sheer size of the exposure at the hospital suggests there is a possibility the country could see another large wave of infections, according to Jacob Lee from the infectious disease department at Seoul’s Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital. Source:
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| skibboy | 2 Jul 2015, 01:13 AM Post #41 |
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02 July 2015 S. Korea reports new MERS case after four days of hiatus © Yonhap/AFP/File | South Korean medical workers wear protective gear at a separated clinic center for MERS at Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital in Seoul on June 26, 2015 SEOUL (AFP) - South Korea on Thursday reported a new case of the potentially deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus, after four days in which no cases were spotted. It brought to 183 the total number of people diagnosed with MERS in the largest outbreak outside Saudi Arabia. The latest case involved a nurse from Seoul's Samsung Medical Center, the health ministry said. The hospital, which has so far accounted for almost half of all confirmed cases, declared a 10-day suspension of most health services last month to stem the spread of the virus. As the hospital continued to report new cases, the shutdown was extended indefinitely. Of the 183 confirmed cases, 33 have died, 102 have been cured and released from hospital and 48 are still being treated, with 12 of them listed as being in critical condition. Source:
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| skibboy | 27 Jul 2015, 11:12 PM Post #42 |
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27 July 2015 UK hospital wing closed over suspected MERS cases © AFP/File | Manchester Royal Infirmary's accident and emergency wing is shut down as it investigated two cases of suspected Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) LONDON (AFP) - A British hospital's accident and emergency wing was shut down on Monday as it investigated two cases of suspected Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). Both patients at the Manchester Royal Infirmary in northern England have been isolated for treatment, the local public health trust said in a statement. "Manchester Royal Infirmary accident and emergency department will be closed until further notice while further investigations take place," it said. The last person to be diagnosed with the potentially deadly virus in Britain was in February 2013, although there has been a recent increase in cases in the Middle East and a deadly outbreak in South Korea. Rosemary McCann, North West deputy director for Public Health England, said that the risk of contracting infection in Britain "remains very low". There is no known vaccine for MERS, a viral respiratory disease which has killed 490 people -- almost all of them in Saudi Arabia -- since it was first reported in 2012, according to the World Health Organisation. Source:
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| skibboy | 29 Jul 2015, 12:10 AM Post #43 |
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South Korea declares 'de facto end' to Mers virus 28 July 2015 ![]() The prime minister apologised for the government's response to the outbreak South Korea's Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn has declared a "de facto end" to the outbreak of the Middle East Respiratory Virus (Mers). Mr Hwang said that as there had been no new infections for 23 days, the public "can now be free from worry". He also apologised for the government's much-criticised response to the virus, which has killed 36 people in South Korea, Yonhap news agency reports. But the WHO said it was not yet declaring Mers officially over. A spokeswoman in Manila said the World Health Organisation required 28 days without a new infection to make the announcement - twice the incubation period of the virus. The last case was confirmed in South Korea on 4 July. South Korean Health Ministry official Kwon Duk-cheol said precautions, including screening at airports, would remain in place "until the situation comes to a formal end", AFP news agency reports. "We still have many arrivals from the Middle East so there is always a possibility that new patients can come in," he added. 'Shake off all concerns' Speaking in Seoul Mr Hwang said that "after weighing various circumstances, the medical personnel and the government judge that the people can now be free from worry". "I ask the public to shake off all concerns over Mers and to resume normal daily activities, including economic, cultural, leisure and school activities," the Yonhap news agency quoted him as saying. ![]() Most South Korea infections have happened at health care centres "I am sorry to the people for causing worries and discomfort." Mers appeared in South Korea on 26 May, brought by a man who had visited the Middle East, where the disease was first identified in 2012. South Korea - the only outbreak outside the Middle East - has confirmed 186 infections, with 36 deaths. The government was accused of being slow to react to the crisis, with most of the infections happened at health centres which were not adequately prepared for a contagious disease. The outbreak - and subsequent quarantine and restrictions on daily life - have had a disastrous effect on the economy, with tourism seeing a 40% drop in foreign visitors. Last week, the government approved a 11.5tn won ($9.8bn; £6.3bn) package to help the struggling economy. Source:
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| skibboy | 20 Aug 2015, 12:33 AM Post #44 |
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19 August 2015 Experimental vaccine against MERS virus shows promise © AFP/File | South Korean medical workers wear protective gear at a separated clinic center for MERS at Konkuk University Hospital in Seoul on June 24, 2015 MIAMI (AFP) - An experimental vaccine against the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus, or MERS, has shown promise when tested on lab monkeys, researchers said Wednesday. There are no approved vaccines against MERS, which is believed to originate in camels and began to sicken people in 2012, killing hundreds since then. Infections have mainly been seen in the Middle East, South Korea, Europe and the United States. The experimental synthetic DNA vaccine fully protected rhesus macaques against the disease when it was given to them six weeks before exposure, according to the findings in the journal Science Translational Medicine. Tests by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania also showed that the vaccine generated potentially protective antibodies in blood drawn from camels, signaling that the vaccine might be able to break this link in the MERS transmission cycle. Pressure is high to create a vaccine in the wake of this year's outbreak in South Korea, which quickly spread from a single patient to more than 180 people, killing more than 30. "The significant recent increase in MERS cases, coupled with the lack of effective antiviral therapies or vaccines to treat or prevent this infection, have raised significant concern," said study author David Weiner, a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine. "Accordingly the development of a vaccine for MERS remains a high priority." Researchers involved in the study came from the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, the Public Health Agency of Canada, Inovio Pharmaceuticals, the University of Washington and the University of South Florida. Since the vaccine is not live, it poses no risk of spreading to people by accident, researchers said. The treatment must undergo further study and development before it can be tried in humans. Source:
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| skibboy | 27 Aug 2015, 11:06 PM Post #45 |
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Saudi Arabia sees Mers deaths surge 2 hours ago ![]() This image shows spherical virus particles within the cytoplasm of an infected cell Saudi Arabia has announced four more deaths from Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers), bringing the number of deaths in the past week to 17. Health officials admit they are worried by the timing, as the kingdom prepares to welcome around two million Muslims for the Hajj next month. Mers infections have been recorded in countries across the Middle East, Europe and Asia. The virus first emerged in Saudi Arabia in 2012. The World Health Organization (WHO) says many of the recent cases are associated with an outbreak at a hospital in Riyadh. Mers is caused by a coronavirus, a type of virus which includes the common cold and Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome). Globally, at least 515 people have died as a result of Mers since September 2012, according to the WHO. ![]() Muslims around the world - including these in Srinagar, India - are preparing to travel to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj Source:
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| skibboy | 10 Jan 2018, 02:49 AM Post #46 |
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10 January 2018 Transgenic cows produce 'safe' trial therapy for MERS ![]() © AFP/File | In the trial, cattle were injected with part of the MERS virus, stimulating their immune system to produce antibodies which were then extracted and purified before being given to 28 human volunteers PARIS (AFP) - An experimental treatment for deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) has been manufactured in cattle carrying human DNA, and proved "safe" when injected into human guinea pigs, scientists reported Wednesday. Dubbed SAB-301, the trial therapy had no serious side effects, the team said. It is too early to tell whether the therapy actually works against the MERS virus which kills over a third of people it infects. "The data from our study suggests that SAB-301 is safe, and further research into the treatment is warranted," said John Beigel of the Maryland-based Leidos Biomedical Research company. The results of a Phase 1 trial, the first step in vetting a new drug for safety and effectiveness, were published in the medical journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases. For the experiment, the team used so-called "transchromosomic" cattle, which are bred with human DNA that carries the genetic code for cells to produce virus-fighting antibodies. These can then be injected directly into sick people. Antibodies can be harvested from people whose immune systems had already fought the disease, but not in large enough quantities, or fast enough, to stop an epidemic of diseases such as MERS, Ebola or the flu, the researchers explained. The "use of transchromosomic cattle to manufacture specific antibodies potentially could help to overcome these difficulties because these animals can produce large amounts of different types of antibodies," the study authors said. In the trial, cattle were injected with part of the MERS virus, stimulating their immune system to produce antibodies which were then extracted and purified before being given to 28 healthy human volunteers. Ten other volunteers were given a placebo or "dummy" dose. People who received the antibody shots were more likely to experience fatigue, loose stools, or a sore throat than the placebo group, said the research team. But it does "appear to be safe and well tolerated". Further tests will assess whether the antibodies are actually effective in countering the MERS virus. MERS is a respiratory disease first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012. Symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath, and about 35 percent of infected people have died -- more than 700 individuals so far. There is no licenced vaccine or treatment. Source: .com
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