On March 7, 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for Germany notified the World Health Organization (WHO) of one case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection.
The case is a 65-year-old, male, German citizen who returned on Feb. 8 to Germany from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. He developed symptoms on Feb. 10 and was hospitalized in an intensive care unit one week later. The MERS-CoV infection was laboratory confirmed on two samples; the latest sample was taken on March 5. Currently, the patient is in a severe but stable condition.
All necessary, recommended, preventive and control measures have been applied since Feb. 23 at the hospital where the patient is being treated. Contact tracing of all possible contacts is ongoing for this case. So far, no additional cases have been identified.
Globally, WHO has been notified of 1041 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including at least 383 related deaths.
Source: WHO
A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides
June 26th 2025As the newly appointed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time under sweeping changes by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the national spotlight turned to the panel’s legitimacy, vaccine guidance, and whether science or ideology would steer public health policy in a polarized era.
Getting Down and Dirty With PPE: Presentations at HSPA by Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski
June 26th 2025In the heart of the hospital, decontamination technicians tackle one of health care’s dirtiest—and most vital—jobs. At HSPA 2025, 6 packed workshops led by experts Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski spotlighted the crucial, often-overlooked art of PPE removal. The message was clear: proper doffing saves lives, starting with your own.