credit: AlJazeera.com
Dr. James Wilson, M.D., Director of the National Infectious Disease Forecast Center, warned the Sermo physician community of the continued spread of MERS-CoV noting it is now considered socially disruptive, or a Category 4 virus.
Currently 313 infected individuals have been diagnosed with MERS and 93 patients have died since September 2012. The World Health Organization reports about 25 percent of patients are categorized as “primary recipients” of the virus, appearing to become infected through animal contact, most likely camels. The number of “secondary infections” appears to be growing, but those infected via person-to-person contact have less severe symptoms or are asymptomatic. The infections are occurring primarily in the Middle East.
Dr. Wilson writes:
- New cases surge; hospital workers heavily affected. Saudi Arabia (Jeddah and Riyadh, in particular) and the United Arab Emirates have seen a spike in MERS reporting in the past month with over 50 cases reported. The majority of reported cases have occurred in healthcare workers who gained secondary infections from an index patient. Though the virus is being spread in healthcare settings, many of the affected healthcare workers are asymptomatic or mildly sick.
- MERS has been carried to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Greece in April. All infections reported in these countries had travel history to Saudi Arabia or the UAE. Like previous translocation events in Europe and North Africa, MERS has not gained a foothold outside of the Arabian Peninsula. The governments of Malaysia and the Philippines have quarantined affected patients and contact cases for testing and have alerted its citizens in the Middle East to be aware of this threat.
- Jeddah is showing signs of disruption. Unlike previous MERS outbreaks, the current surge in cases is causing greater concern in the city of Jeddah with schools being closed and the public reportedly avoiding restaurants, while the government seeks to dispel anxiety about the disease.
- We are probably witnessing resurgence of MERS due to a seasonal pattern only now appreciated thanks to better diagnostics / active surveillance. Air traffic indices are not what they will be come fall during the Hajj, so we expect continued shedding of cases into the air traffic grid, but not at a level of risk and concern as we would expect during Muslim holidays.
The CDC has alerted U.S. physicians to look for possible MERS-CoV cases from people who have traveled to affected areas. Incubation period is from two to 14 days. Symptoms include upper-respiratory distress, fever and vomiting. If you are a physician and would like to follow the latest updates, please join the Sermo community. The link following MERS is here. (Membership is free.)
Resources for Physicians:
Global updates: World Health Organization
U.S. Updates: Center for Disease Control
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