WHO convenes emergency meet in Geneva tomorrow on MERS Corona virus

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Photo: WHO convenes emergency meet in Geneva tomorrow on MERS Corona virus The World Health Organization, WHO has convened an emergency meeting of experts in Geneva tomorrow to discuss the spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, MERS Corona virus. The meeting assumes significance in the wake of the fact that the number of deaths due to the infection in Saudi Arabia has gone up to 142 since the discovery of the virus in the kingdom in September 2012. Saudi Arabia has reported 483 new cases with the mortality rate beyond 30 percent which has raised the alarm bells ringing. The World Health Organization (WHO) has advised people at most risk of severe disease to avoid contact with camels, which are being considered as an animal reservoir of infection. Saudi Arabia has for the first time warned the people not to come into contact with camels unless necessary. The Saudi Agriculture Ministry in a statement advised that people handling camels should wear face masks, use hand gloves to prevent the spread of MERS. They have been asked to wash hands before and after coming in contact. It also advised only eating cooked camel meat and to boil camel milk before consuming it. The statement urged people to report symptoms of MERS in camels immediately. The recent upsurge in cases is of concern both in Saudi Arabia and abroad, because of the influx of pilgrims from around the world expected in July during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and then in October during the annual Haj pilgrimage. Cases have been reported in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Malaysia, Oman, Tunisia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Britain. MERS Virus belongs to the same family as the SARS Virus which killing nearly 800 people in Asia in 2003. It causes cause a lung infection, with patients suffering from a fever, cough and breathing difficulties. MERS differs from the SAR virus since it also causes rapid kidney failure. There is no vaccine or anti-viral treatment for MERS, a disease that kills more than 40 percent of those infected and that experts are still struggling to understand.
The World Health Organization, WHO  has convened an emergency meeting of experts in Geneva tomorrow to discuss the spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, MERS Corona virus.
The meeting assumes significance in the wake of the fact that the number of deaths due to the infection in Saudi Arabia has gone up to 142 since the discovery of the virus in the kingdom in September 2012. Saudi Arabia has reported 483 new cases with the mortality rate beyond 30 percent which has raised the alarm bells ringing. The World Health Organization (WHO) has advised people at most risk of severe disease to avoid contact with camels, which are being considered as an animal reservoir of infection.

Saudi Arabia has for the first time warned the people not to come into contact with camels unless necessary. The Saudi Agriculture Ministry in a statement advised that people handling camels should wear face masks, use hand gloves to prevent the spread of MERS. They have been asked to wash hands before and after coming in contact. It also advised only eating cooked camel meat and to boil camel milk before consuming it. The statement urged people to report symptoms of MERS in camels immediately.

The recent upsurge in cases is of concern both in Saudi Arabia and abroad, because of the influx of pilgrims from around the world expected in July during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and then in October during the annual Haj pilgrimage. Cases have been reported in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Malaysia, Oman, Tunisia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Britain.

MERS Virus belongs to the same family as the SARS Virus which killing nearly 800 people in Asia in 2003. It causes cause a lung infection, with patients suffering from a fever, cough and breathing difficulties. MERS differs from the SAR virus since it also causes rapid kidney failure. There is no vaccine or anti-viral treatment for MERS, a disease that kills more than 40 percent of those infected and that experts are still struggling to understand.

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