MERS Outbreak

The MERS coronavirus (Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome) has been quickly spreading throughout the Middle East. This is a big problem because the disease is spreading around the time of Ramadan, when millions of Muslim pilgrims journey to Mecca. Since it is a contagious disease, large crowds will only increase the spread of disease. The WHO has set up an emergency committee regarding MERS to address the state of travel for pilgrims during Ramadan. They have determined that along with the cases that have turned fatal, there are also other cases that have been undetected. And as of right now, this is what the WHO is most concerned with.

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MERS or Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome is a coronavirus. Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that commonly are responsible for giving people the cold. Another more notable coronavirus is SARS. Coronaviruses gain their name from spikes that can be seen on their surface, which resembles a crown. It is possible for coronaviruses to infect animals and people, and rodents. MERS is most similar in nature to the coronaviruses that affect bats (CDC).

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            If MERS is contracted in a person, signs and symptoms will include fever, cough, and shortness of breath as the virus creates a severe acute respiratory illness. The disease spreads between people that are close in contact. Somehealth care providers have also contracted MERS after patient contact. The virus has killed about half of those infected. The incidence of cases has spread from beyond the Middle East, to European countries such as Italy and France (CDC).

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Because MERS is a novel corona virus, there is still a lot we do not know about it and how it works. During a press conference on MERS, Dr. Keiji Fukuda, the assistant director general for health security and the environment, stated that, "it's clear that infections can occur across the age range." Also, "most of the infections are occurring in older people and particularly older men and then they're occurring more often in people who have various chronic illnesses, so-called comorbidities." (WHO, 2013) As of July 11, 2013, "Globally, from September 2012 to date, WHO has been informed of a total of 81 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including 45 deaths." (WHO, 2013)

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In 2009, when there was a H1N1influenza virus outbreak, pilgrims traveling were given flu masks and hand sanitizer for when in large crowds. The WHO also recommends disinfecting common surfaces and washing hands after possible exposure in crowds. A solution the government has come up with is health screenings before entering the country. Even though MERS has not been categorized as a pandemic, it is still a major concern for the WHO and CDC for those who are traveling to that area, especially at this time. What the WHO recommends for Middle Eastern countries is to continue surveillance of the disease for those entering and exiting the Member States to avoid the further spread of the virus (WHO).

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Works Cited

"About Coronavirus." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers

for Disease Control and Prevention, 12 Mar. 2013. Web. 17 July 2013.

"Is MERS A Threat to Muslim Pilgrims?" VOA. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 July 2013.

"Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 17 July 2013. Web. 17 July 2013.

"Press Conference." WHO. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 July 2013.

"WHO Sets Up Emergency Committee on MERS Virus." VOA. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 July 2013.

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