Saudi Arabia has reported 2,578 cases of MERS-CoV and 888 deaths from 2012 till July this year, according to the WHO
Even as the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic rages on globally, its cousin, which wrought havoc nine years ago, seems to be making a comeback. Saudi Arabia has reported a total 11 cases of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) from January till July this year, accoring to the World Health Organization (WHO). There have been two deaths in July.
Four cases were reported between March 12 and July 31, 2021. One of them has died. The two people who died in July had a history of close contact with camels. But the latest to die was not a health worker and is thus considered to have got the virus from another sick person.
Saudi Arabia has reported 2,578 cases of MERS-CoV and 888 deaths since the first outbreak of this coronavirus in 2012 till July 2021, according to the WHO.
The latest bulletin of the WHO on MERS-CoV has reported cases from three regions of Saudi Arabia — Riyadh, Hafar Albatin and Taif. The United Nations body says the cases would continue to be reported in the future in these areas.
MERS-CoV is a coronavirus, the second one in the 21st century to infect humans. It was discovered in 2012. The first case was detected in Saudi Arabia. The first coronavirus was SARS-CoV-1 that caused the SARS outbreak in 2002-2004 and was spread by civets.
Dromedary, also known as the one-humped camel or Arabian camel, is the reservoir of the MERS coronavirus. Humans in direct or close contact with these camels get infected by this coronavirus. According to the WHO, MERS-CoV is also transmitted from human to human.
MERS-CoV has a high mortality rate; nearly 35 per cent of those infected with it have died. However, the WHO says this might be an overestimation as many cases of MERS-CoV are not reported due to mild symptoms that the current surveillance system is not able to detect.
“The WHO expects that additional cases of MERS-CoV infection will be reported from the Middle East and / or other countries where MERS-CoV is circulating in dromedaries and that cases will continue to be exported to other countries by individuals who were exposed to the virus through contact with dromedaries, or animal products (for example, consumption of raw camel’s milk), or in a healthcare setting,” the bulletin said.
Like COVID-19, this coronavirus also causes severe health complications in patients with underlying chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, renal failure, chronic lung disease and those who are immunocompromised. MERS has been reported from 27 countries on four continents, travelling from West Asia in 2012.
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Saudi Arabia reported four cases of MERS-CoV infection between March 12 and July 31, 2021. One of these four has died. It spreads through Dromedary camels. Photo: Wikimedia.png)
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