Five Cases of MERS-CoV in Saudi Arabia are Reported to WHO

Between June 1 and June 4, 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified the World Health Organization (WHO) of five additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including one death. Details of the cases are as follows:

1. A 64-year-old male from Hofuf city developed symptoms on May 20 and was admitted to a hospital on June 1. The patient, who has comorbidities, tested positive for MERS-CoV on 3 June. Currently, he is in stable condition in a negative pressure isolation room on a ward. Investigation of history of exposure to known risk factors in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms is ongoing.

2. A 50-year-old, non-national, male healthcare professional from Hofuf city developed symptoms on May 22. The patient, who has no comorbidities, tested positive for MERS-CoV on June 1. Between May 14 and May 19, he provided care to a laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV case that was reported previously. The patient has no history of exposure to other known risk factors in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms. Currently, he is asymptomatic and isolated at home.

3. A 45-year-old male from Hofuf city developed symptoms on May 26 and was admitted to a hospital on May 29. The patient, who has comorbidities, tested positive for MERS-CoV on May 31. Currently, he is in critical condition in the ICU. Investigation of history of exposure to the known risk factors in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms is ongoing.

4. A 50-year-old, male healthcare professional from Hofuf city developed symptoms on May 19 and was admitted to a hospital on May 25. The patient, who has no comorbidities, tested positive for MERS-CoV on May 29. He has a history of contact with sheep and poultry in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms. The patient has no history of exposure to known risk factors in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms. Currently, he is in stable condition in a negative pressure isolation room on a ward.

5. A 54-year-old male from Hofuf city developed symptoms on May 27. The patient was admitted to hospital for an unrelated medical condition on May 16. He was referred to another hospital on May 19. The patient, who had comorbidities, tested positive for MERS-CoV on May 30. He died on June 2. Investigation of history of exposure to known risk factors in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms is ongoing.

Contact tracing of household and healthcare contacts is ongoing for these cases.

The National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also notified WHO of the death of three previously reported MERS-CoV cases.

Globally, since September 2012, WHO has been notified of 1195 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including at least 448 related deaths.

Source: WHO