First MERS infection detected in Egypt
MERS infections have killed 92 people in Saudi Arabia, where the coronavirus was first detected in humans in 2012
Egypt recorded its first MERS infection after a person who arrived from Saudi Arabia tested positive for the virus, state media reported on Saturday.
MERS infections have killed 92 people in Saudi Arabia, where the coronavirus was first detected in humans in 2012.
State television reported the patient was in a Cairo hospital after arriving from Saudi Arabia. It did not provide details on the patient’s condition.
The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus is considered a deadlier but less-transmissible cousin of the SARS virus which erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died.
Experts are still struggling to understand MERS, for which there is no known vaccine.
A recent study said the virus has been “extraordinarily common” in camels for at least 20 years, and may have been passed directly from the animals to humans.
It has spread to several countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia.
Also Read
-
MERS linked to camels and has ‘circulated for many years’
A recent study found that “camels in areas where the disease has emerged have antibodies to protect themselves from the virus" Healthy Living -
Your guide on how to avoid the MERS virus
Health care workers are more often the unwitting carriers of the disease through hospital wards Healthy Living -
Saudi Health Minister ‘relieved of his post’
The move comes amid growing cases of MERS respiratory illness in the kingdom Middle East -
Dealing with MERS outbreak requires firm measures
When signs of an epidemic appear, people have the right to know what's happening in the utmost transparency. This is a life or death issue. Middle East -
13 new cases of MERS virus detected in Saudi Arabia
The deadly MERS virus has killed killing 76 people in Saudi Arabia, the Health Ministry says Middle East -
UAE reports 12 new cases of MERS coronavirus
The World Health Organization said it has been informed of a total of 243 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection worldwide, including 93 deaths Middle East
