WHO: MERS-CoV Case Detected in Abu Dhabi

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a late-20s man in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, got infected with MERS-CoV. The 28-year-old patient was hospitalized last month and diagnosed with the condition caused by coronavirus.

MERS-CoV, which is different from COVID-19, may cause mild respiratory issues, severe acute respiratory syndrome, and death.

The individual had no contact with dromedary camels, which carry the virus. What caused the patient's MERS infection is unknown, according to Firstpost.

Early in June, the patient had gone to a private medical facility complaining of symptoms, including vomiting, right flank discomfort, and painful urination. The patient was transported to an intensive care unit (ICU) at a government tertiary hospital as his health quickly worsened, and there, he was placed on mechanical ventilation.

Despite the patient's lack of interaction with dromedaries, goats, or sheep, a nasopharyngeal swab test on June 23 showed MERS-CoV in a PCR test.

UAE health authorities identified and monitored all 108 patient contacts for 14 days after the last MERS-CoV exposure. There were no secondary instances.

What You Need To Know About MERS-CoV

According to the WHO, elderly people with impaired immune systems or chronic illnesses, including diabetes, renal disease, cancer, COPD, hypertension, or cancer, are more likely to have an acute medical condition, per WION.

Even though no particular vaccine or medication exists to treat MERS-CoV, clinical research for prospective treatments continues. According to the WHO, treating MERS patients is supportive and depends on the patient's clinical status in the lack of MERS-specific medications.

SARS-CoV-2, which causes MERS, is identical to COVID-19. Fever, coughing, and shortness of breath are the primary symptoms of the viral infection. Pneumonia and gastrointestinal issues may also be experienced by the MERS patient.

In the Middle East, camels carry the virus, but humans may also spread it.

A Deadly Disease

The last MERS-CoV infection in the UAE was documented in November 2021, before this occurrence. Authorities have recorded 94 cases since the first one in July 2013, with 12 related fatalities and a case-fatality ratio (CFR) of 13 percent.

Three significant outbreaks of the MERS-Cov were noted by WHO, with the most severe one happening in 2012, according to IFL Science. This outbreak comprised 2,566 cases and 882 fatalities, a 34% mortality rate. Saudi Arabia, South Korea, UAE, Jordan, Qatar, Oman, and Iran had the most instances. While the US recorded two occurrences with no fatalities, the UK had five cases with three deaths.