Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is a viral respiratory illness that is new to humans. It was first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and has since spread to several other countries, including the United States. Most people infected with MERS-CoV developed severe acute respiratory illness, including fever, cough and shortness of breath. Many died.
Now a new outbreak is taking place from 8 to 12 June 2015, the IHR National Focal Point of the Republic of Korea notified the WHO of 62 additional confirmed cases of respiratory syndrome Middle East Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), including six deaths.
The Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) recommends that Member States, in light of the possible occurrence of events related to the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), ensure that health care workers have access to up to date information on the illness, be familiar with the principles and procedures for handling MERS-CoV infections, and be trained to inquire about a patient’s travel history in order to connect this information with clinical data. PAHO/WHO does not recommend any particular type of screening at entry points regarding this event, nor any restrictions on travel or trade
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Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)
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