There is now strong consensus that dromedary camels are the main source of transmission of MERS-CoV to humans. Despite MERS-CoV causing little to no disease in dromedaries, MERS-CoV can circulate within and between dromedary herds, and from dromedaries to humans.
Since the last global update published on 21 July 2017, 189 laboratory-confirmed cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) from four countries were reported to the World Health Organization (WHO): 182 from Saudi Arabia, three from Oman, three from the United Arab Emirates, and one from Malaysia.
Researchers studied the characteristics and outcome of patients hospitalized for suspected MERS-CoV infection in the isolation wards of two referral infectious disease departments in the Paris area between January 2013 and December 2016.
Overall, 94 percent of subjects injected with the Middle Easr respiratory disease (MERS) vaccine candidate, dubbed INO-4700 or GLS-5300, showed antibody responses two weeks after their third dose.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed this rapid advice note to meet the urgent need for recommendations on the safe home care for patients with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection presenting with mild symptoms and public health measures related to management of asymptomatic contacts.
In a profile of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) activity in Saudi Arabia since Jan 12, the country has reported 75 cases, including 10 from two small hospital clusters and 11 from two household clusters, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports.
Research showed that “a combination of two currently licensed agents was able to significantly inhibit virus replication and tissue damage by the MERS coronavirus in human bronchus and lung."
The National IHR Focal Point of the United Arab Emirates has reported one laboratory-confirmed case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) infection to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Research findings indicate a lower MERS-CoV seropositivity among Israeli dromedaries than in the surrounding countries, and for the first time naturally infected llamas were identified.
A 2015 outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Jordan involved a variant virus that acquired distinctive deletions in the accessory open reading frames.