First MERS Case Diagnosed In U.S., Patient In Indiana Hospital
Health officials in the United States have confirmed the first MERS case in the country. MERS, which stands for Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome, is a fairly new illness that was first seen in 2012 in Saudi Arabia.
The healthcare worker, who is not being named, came to Chicago one week ago from the Riyadh, Saudi Arabia area. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it’s likely he contracted the virus at the healthcare facility he worked at. He is currently in Munster, Ind.’s Community Hospital and in stable condition. However, he needs oxygen to assist with his symptoms.
Officials on the local, state and federal level are working hard to reduce the chance of the virus spreading. They are monitoring everyone who has or has had close contact with the infected subject. The male healthcare worker flew from Riyadh to London and finally Chicago on April 24. He rode a bus to Indiana from Chicago.
It wasn’t until three days later that he suffered from a fever, was coughing and had shortness of breath. The Indiana State Department of Health said he came to the emergency department of the hospital on April 28, and admitted the same day.
Experts in infectious disease are closely watching the virus due to its high mortality rate in people with symptoms. The virus has killed nearly 100 of the more than 400 people infected in 12 countries. The cases were first seen in six countries of the Arabian Peninsula. The majority of these people suffered the same symptoms as the U.S. case.
Since March, the number of cases in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia has risen. The health ministry in Saudi Arabia verified on April 24 that 12 people had been diagnosed with the disease, with two additional deaths. Experts have suggested seasonal factors could be in play. The largest reported outbreak so far occurred in April and lasted through May 2013, with 23 confirmed cases in eastern Saudi Arabia.
Officials have no idea how the virus started or how it’s spreading. The virus is seen in camels, but they don’t know how humans are catching it. At this time, there is no treatment or vaccine.
According to the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respirator Diseases Assistant Surgeon General and Director Anne Schuchat, MERS has finally made it to the United States. She said the viral disease isn’t easily transmittable and is a low risk to the broader general public.
Schuchat said the patient was in Saudi Arabia for some time before leaving the country April 24.
Officials said there are currently no newly infected patients, saying the investigation is active.
Hospital officials, using the travel history and symptoms of the patient, decided to test for the MERS virus. Both the CDC and Indiana State Public Health Laboratory confirmed the patient’s diagnosis. State officials said the Munster hospital has made contact with all high-risk persons. Out of sheer caution, anyone who visited the emergency room between 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on April 28 and experience any MERS signs or symptoms needs to see their doctor right away. a hotline was also established.
For some countries, the spread of the virus from each person is their close proximity to each other – living with a person infected with it. Schuchat said there is no indication of continued spread within community settings.
CDC officials said they prepared themselves for the possibility of the MERS spreading to the U.S. with enhanced lab testing and surveillance. The CDC came up with guidance for emergency personnel, customs and borders personnel and airline flight crews to report any sick traveler to the agency.
According to officials, it’s not known how the patient contracted the virus. Schuchat said she had no idea if the patient was treating MERS cases in Saudi Arabia. Officials said they have no idea how many people were in close proximity to the patient.
CDC Director Tom Frieden said officials expected MERA-CoV to see cases of the disease in the U.S. In fact, agencies have prepared themselves for this possibility since 2012.
The MERS virus is in the same family as SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), which killed nearly 800 people around the world in 2003. Another similarity is their incubation period, which is around five days.
Since experts have no clue as to how the virus is spreading, people are urged to protect themselves by constantly washing their hands, avoid being near people who are sick, don’t touch their eyes, mouth or nose with unwashed hands and constantly disinfect touched surfaces.
Any person who experiences a cough or shortness of breath after 14 days of their travels of countries in or around the Arabian Peninsula need to see their doctor right away.
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