Tweet
Novel Coronavirus - Multistate - Severe respiratory syndrome (ECDC/CDTR, May 22 2013, edited)
[Source: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), full PDF document: (LINK). Extract, edited.]
COMMUNICABLE DISEASE THREATS REPORT
Week 20, 12-18 May 2013
(?)
Novel Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) - Multistate - Severe respiratory syndrome
Opening date: 24 September 2012 Latest update: 16 May 2013
Epidemiological summary
The first described case of MERS-CoV infection was a 60-year-old male resident of Saudi Arabia who died of severe pneumonia complicated by renal failure in June 2012. A previously unknown coronavirus isolated from this patient was identified.
As of 16 May, 40 laboratory confirmed cases have been reported by Saudi Arabia (30), Jordan (2), Germany (2), United Kingdom (4) and France (2).
Twenty of these cases have died. All cases worldwide remain associated (including indirect association following secondary person-to-person transmission in the UK and France) with transmission in the Arabian Peninsula.The age of cases ranges from 24 to 94 years (age is unknown for 4 cases). Eight cases are female and 31 are male (gender is unknown for 1 case).
Since the beginning of May 2013, the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia reported 21 cases, seven of which were fatal. All cases were from the eastern Al HAsa governorate. The outbreak is primarily linked to a health care facility. Two patients are healthcare workers who were exposed to patients with confirmed MERS-CoV.
On 8 May 2013, there was a first case reported in France in a patient with recent travel history to the United Arab Emirates who presented with diarrhoea and fever. He was hospitalised on 23 April. On 12 May, France reported a second case. This patient shared a hospital room with the first patient from 27 to 29 April 2013. After the UK, France is the second country reporting local transmission in Europe.
(?)
ECDC assessment
The additional recent coronavirus cases reported by the Saudi Arabian authorities indicate an ongoing source of infection present in the Arabian Peninsula.
The first French case who presented with diarrhoea is a reminder of the possibility that presentations may not include respiratory symptoms initially, especially in those with immunosuppression or underlying chronic conditions. This needs be taken into account when revising case-finding strategies.
The imported case in France is the second nosocomial transmission in Europe following one in the UK in February 2013 highlighting the risk of onward transmissions in Europe, in particular in healthcare settings. Both French patients had underlying conditions, and a degree of immunosuppression.
One of the transmissions in the UK was also to an immunosuppressed person. These underlying conditions may be increasing vulnerability and the risk of transmission.
Information on many of the basic epidemiological indicators required for determining effective control measures are still missing for most cases that occurred in the Middle East, e.g. the reservoir of infection, risk groups, incubation period, period of infectivity, settings where infection has occurred.
The recent imported cases reported by Germany and France, following medical evacuation and travel, indicate that more cases may be expected to be identified in the EU in the immediate future.
Actions
ECDC has updated the rapid risk assessment, and published an epi-update on 7 May (Epidemiological update ECDC). The results of an ECDC coordinated survey on laboratory capacity for testing for the novel coronavirus in Europe were published in EuroSurveillance.
On 6 May, WHO posted technical guidance on infection prevention and control on their website. ECDC is closely monitoring the situation in collaboration with WHO and the European Union Member States.
(?)
-
------
COMMUNICABLE DISEASE THREATS REPORT
Week 20, 12-18 May 2013
(?)
Novel Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) - Multistate - Severe respiratory syndrome
Opening date: 24 September 2012 Latest update: 16 May 2013
Epidemiological summary
The first described case of MERS-CoV infection was a 60-year-old male resident of Saudi Arabia who died of severe pneumonia complicated by renal failure in June 2012. A previously unknown coronavirus isolated from this patient was identified.
As of 16 May, 40 laboratory confirmed cases have been reported by Saudi Arabia (30), Jordan (2), Germany (2), United Kingdom (4) and France (2).
Twenty of these cases have died. All cases worldwide remain associated (including indirect association following secondary person-to-person transmission in the UK and France) with transmission in the Arabian Peninsula.The age of cases ranges from 24 to 94 years (age is unknown for 4 cases). Eight cases are female and 31 are male (gender is unknown for 1 case).
Since the beginning of May 2013, the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia reported 21 cases, seven of which were fatal. All cases were from the eastern Al HAsa governorate. The outbreak is primarily linked to a health care facility. Two patients are healthcare workers who were exposed to patients with confirmed MERS-CoV.
On 8 May 2013, there was a first case reported in France in a patient with recent travel history to the United Arab Emirates who presented with diarrhoea and fever. He was hospitalised on 23 April. On 12 May, France reported a second case. This patient shared a hospital room with the first patient from 27 to 29 April 2013. After the UK, France is the second country reporting local transmission in Europe.
(?)
ECDC assessment
The additional recent coronavirus cases reported by the Saudi Arabian authorities indicate an ongoing source of infection present in the Arabian Peninsula.
The first French case who presented with diarrhoea is a reminder of the possibility that presentations may not include respiratory symptoms initially, especially in those with immunosuppression or underlying chronic conditions. This needs be taken into account when revising case-finding strategies.
The imported case in France is the second nosocomial transmission in Europe following one in the UK in February 2013 highlighting the risk of onward transmissions in Europe, in particular in healthcare settings. Both French patients had underlying conditions, and a degree of immunosuppression.
One of the transmissions in the UK was also to an immunosuppressed person. These underlying conditions may be increasing vulnerability and the risk of transmission.
Information on many of the basic epidemiological indicators required for determining effective control measures are still missing for most cases that occurred in the Middle East, e.g. the reservoir of infection, risk groups, incubation period, period of infectivity, settings where infection has occurred.
The recent imported cases reported by Germany and France, following medical evacuation and travel, indicate that more cases may be expected to be identified in the EU in the immediate future.
Actions
ECDC has updated the rapid risk assessment, and published an epi-update on 7 May (Epidemiological update ECDC). The results of an ECDC coordinated survey on laboratory capacity for testing for the novel coronavirus in Europe were published in EuroSurveillance.
On 6 May, WHO posted technical guidance on infection prevention and control on their website. ECDC is closely monitoring the situation in collaboration with WHO and the European Union Member States.
(?)
-
------