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Tuesday, May 6, 2014

US Embassy Message Regarding MERS

take care all....

May 5, 2014

The U.S. Embassy in Oman recommends that U.S. Citizens residing in or
traveling to the Gulf region monitor the CDC's guidance relating to the
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome <http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/mers/>
and take appropriate precautions as directed by CDC."


On May 2, 2014, the first confirmed case of MERS was reported in a
traveler to the United States.  MERS-CoV is a virus that is new to
humans; it is associated with respiratory illness and high death rates.
All reported cases to date have been linked to six countries in the
Arabian Peninsula: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates
(UAE), Oman, and Kuwait; the first known cases of MERS-CoV occurred in
Jordan in April 2012.

Starting in March 2014, there has been an increase in the number of
cases reported from Saudi Arabia and UAE. The reason for this increase
in cases is not yet known; public health investigations are ongoing.
There is no vaccine or specific treatment recommended for the virus.

Currently there is no scientific evidence available on where the virus
came from or how it spreads. In addition to humans, evidence of the
virus has been found in camels and a bat, but there is no scientific
evidence of the connection between virus detections in animals and
humans.

In some cases, the virus has spread from infected people to others
through close contact. However, there is currently no evidence of
sustained spread of MERS-CoV in the community.

The virus has spread in hospitals; the largest reported outbreak to date
occurred April through May 2013 in eastern Saudi Arabia and involved 23
confirmed cases in four healthcare facilities.

CDC advises protection from the illness by washing hands often, using a
tissue when coughing or sneezing, avoiding touching their face with
unwashed hands, staying away from ill people, and disinfecting
frequently touched surfaces.  CDC recommends that healthcare providers
evaluate patients for MERS-CoV using CDC guidance. They should contact
their state or local health department if they have questions.

CDC Media Relations <mailto:media@cdc.gov> : (404) 639-3286


CDC MERS-CoV 24/7 hotline: 770-488-7100

CDC MERS-CoV website: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/mers

WHO coronavirus infections website:
www.who.int/csr/disease/coronavirus_infections/en/index.html

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