ProMED Disease Outbreak Update

MERS in Saudi Arabia.

Information available within this Disease Outbreak Update is produced by Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases (ProMED).

MERS-CoV

Location

Saudi Arabia

The HealthMap/ProMED map of Saudi Arabia can be found here

 

Outbreak Update

Update from Saudi Arabia, Ministry of Health, 6-14 May 2019 (See here)

In the period since the last update, there have been a total of 3 newly confirmed cases and one death in a previously reported case.

Information on newly confirmed cases: (3)

[1]
Date of confirmation: 7 May 2019
Case No: 19-1914
MERS in Riyadh city: 31-year-old male in Riyadh city, Riyadh region
Contact with camels: Unknown
Case classification: Primary
Current status: Active

[2]
Date of confirmation report: 11 May 2019
Case No: 19-1915
MERS in Riyadh city: 70-year-old female in Riyadh city, Riyadh region
Contact with camels: Unknown
Case classification: Primary
Current status: Active

[3]
Date of confirmation report: 14 May 2019
Case No: 19-1916
MERS from Jeddah city: 73-year-old male from Jeddah city, Jeddah region
Contact with camels: Yes
Case classification: Primary
Current status: Active

Information on newly reported fatality (See here):

Case No: 19-1912. Date of initial confirmation report: 25 Apr 2019. A 76-year-old male from Madina City in Al Madinah region. Classified as a primary case with a history of contact with camels. Date of outcome report: 12 May 2019. Outcome: fatal.


WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office April Situation Report, 14 May 2019 (See here) 

At the end of April 2019, a total of 2428 laboratory-confirmed cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), including 838 associated deaths (case-fatality rate: 34.5%), were reported globally; the majority of these cases were reported from Saudi Arabia (2037 cases, including 760 related deaths with a case-fatality rate of 37.3%). During the month of April [2019], a total of 29 laboratory-confirmed cases of MERS were reported globally. All the 29 cases were reported from Saudi Arabia with 11 associated deaths.

This month [April 2019], Saudi Arabia has not reported any new cases related to the Wadi Aldwaser city outbreak. The outbreak has presumed to have stopped due to the effective response measures taken by Saudi Arabia. The country reported a new outbreak this month, in Al-Khafji city and one of its hospitals, with 13 reported cases and 6 associated deaths. The cases are linked to 2 clusters: the 1st cluster has 10 cases (and 3 deaths) including 5 health care workers that contracted the infection in the hospital (with one death), 3 hospital acquired cases (with 2 deaths), and one household contact.

The demographic and epidemiological characteristics of reported cases, when compared during the same corresponding period of 2013 to 2019, do not show any significant difference or change, except for the increase in the number of secondary cases and healthcare worker cases due to the current hospital outbreak.

The age group 50-59 years continues to be at highest risk for acquiring infection of primary cases. The age group 30-39 years is most at risk for secondary cases. The number of deaths is higher in the age group 50-59 years for primary cases and 70-79 years for secondary cases.
 

See the full ProMED post here

Information available within this Disease Outbreak Update is produced by Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases (ProMED).

Note: Content may be edited for style and length.