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MERS coronavirus makes first appearance in Asia

Printed From: Avian Flu Talk
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Forum Name: Latest News
Forum Description: (Latest Breaking News)
URL: http://www.avianflutalk.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=30956
Printed Date: May 02 2024 at 10:36am


Topic: MERS coronavirus makes first appearance in Asia
Posted By: arirish
Subject: MERS coronavirus makes first appearance in Asia
Date Posted: April 16 2014 at 6:30am
MERS coronavirus makes first appearance in Asia: Malaysia, Philippines report MERS-CoV cases

The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has been confirmed for the first time in Asia as the Malaysian Ministry of Health reports a confirmed death in a man from Batu Pahat, Johor.



According to a Malaysia Ministry of Health press release today (computer translated), “the investigation found he had returned to Malaysia from performing umrah and arrival on 29 March 2014. On 8-9 April 2014, he experiences symptoms fever, cough and difficulty breathing. On 10 April 2014, he was admitted to Sultanah Nora Ismail (HSNI), for the inspection and further treatment. Circumstances he became increasingly ill and confirmed died the world on 13 April 2014, at 9: 57 am. As a result the investigation found the cause of death is Severe Pneumonia Secondary to MERS-CoV.”

The investigation is ongoing. Health officials are requesting people traveling on Turkish Airlines (TK93 and TK60) for travel from Jeddah-Istanbul-Kuala Lumpur on 29 March 2014 are kindly requested to contact the following numbers for assist the Ministry of Health surveillance.

Elsewhere in Asia, the Philippines Department of Health is reporting that an overseas worker, a nurse and his family have been quarantined upon arrival in Manila, making him the first confirmed case in the Philippines. For more infectious disease news and information, visit and “like” the Infectious Disease News Facebook page.

Philippines Health Secretary, Enrique Ona issued the following statement about one hour ago, which is posted on the DOH Facebook page:

An OFW who had contact with the OFW who died of MERS-CoV in United Arab Emirates arrived in the country yesterday. He tested positive on the nose swab examination in UAE but completely no symptoms. The Embassy of the Philippines in UAE informed DOH and DFA immediately of the results. Upon arrival in the airport, DOH and Bureau of Quarantine put him in isolation with his family and everyone who has had contact with him within the past 24 hours. We also re-tested him and the result will come out in Friday. We are also performing an intensive contact tracing and public information. Our 2 specialists to UAE are set to leave anytime soon. Sec Ona.


http://www.theglobaldispatch.com/mers-coronavirus-makes-first-appearance-in-asia-malaysia-philippines-report-mers-cov-cases-43672/

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Buy more ammo!


Replies:
Posted By: EdwinSm,
Date Posted: April 16 2014 at 10:24pm
These were imported cases (like the first cases in England).  It would be of much greater concern if MERS past on to others in the hospitals/planes.   Neither Malaysia nor the Philippines have many camels (!) so that would not be a area where the virus could hid.

MERS did not spread during the Hajj last year, so are these cases just isolated ones, or is MERS changing so it is better at spreading?

Posted By: Suzi
Date Posted: April 18 2014 at 6:22pm
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2014/04/saudis-report-12-more-mers-cases-greece-has-its-first - http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2014/04/saudis-report-12-more-mers-cases-greece-has-its-first

Mers may be getting out of control.

Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: April 18 2014 at 11:23pm
MERS is not out of control yet. When we see clustering in remote locations then we need to worry. At the moment its associated with a camel host and has a very low reproduction value.

Posted By: arirish
Date Posted: April 19 2014 at 10:00am
Without sequences from recent cases we don't know what is going on! Is this just poor infection control in these hospitals or has it mutated? We'll just have to wait and see!

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Buy more ammo!

Posted By: Suzi
Date Posted: April 19 2014 at 7:05pm
The medical people seem to get it from patients easy enough.

Posted By: CRS, DrPH
Date Posted: April 19 2014 at 9:51pm
I'm just waiting for a MERS "super-spreader" patient to emerge!  

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/11/4/04-0639_article.htm - http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/11/4/04-0639_article.htm


To the Editor: The primary mode of transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) appears to be through exposure to respiratory droplets and direct contact with patients and their contaminated environment. However, in summarizing their experiences during the SARS outbreaks in Toronto and Taiwan, McDonald et al. ( http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/11/4/04-0639_article.htm#r1 - - 2 – http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/11/4/04-0639_article.htm#r4 - - 1 – http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/11/4/04-0639_article.htm#r3 -



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