Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, which is believed to have a fatality rate of up to 35%, has struck a 28-year-old man in Abu Dhabi's Al Ain city. The specific details about how the man contracted the virus are currently scarce. So far, no additional cases have been reported, as confirmed by the World Health Organization.
Fears are rising as one of the world's deadliest diseases appears to be spreading in the Middle East after a man in his twenties contracted the virus. The 28-year-old, from Abu Dhabi, is currently hospitalized and battling for his life after being infected with MERS, a more lethal relative of Covid. MERS, or Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome coronavirus, is known to have a fatality rate of up to one-third of those infected.
Typically, the virus is transmitted through contact with camels. Authorities in the UAE, which includes Dubai, are now taking urgent measures to prevent human-to-human transmission and contain the spread of the virus.
The 28-year-old man from Abu Dhabi is currently battling for his life in the hospital after contracting MERS, which is known as a more lethal relative of Covid. According to a report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) this evening, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) informed the UN agency of the case on July 10. However, specific details on how the man contracted the virus are still scarce and under investigation.
However, World Health Organization officials stated that the infected man, whose identity remains undisclosed, had no known contact with camels, goats, or sheep – the other species known to carry the disease.
In a report released this evening by the WHO, it was confirmed that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) notified the UN agency of the case on July 10.
Details regarding how the man contracted the virus are still limited, and investigations are ongoing.
Authorities tracked down more than 100 people who had contact with the man, none of whom had any known illnesses. These contacts were monitored for two weeks, and none of them tested positive for the virus.
The WHO cautioned that more cases are likely to occur, but they continue to closely monitor the situation and have urged member states to be vigilant for any unusual patterns.
According to the report published by the UN agency, the patient was admitted to the hospital on June 8. A throat and nose PCR swab, collected on June 21, confirmed the man's positive diagnosis for MERS on June 23. MERS, also known as camel flu, can initially present with symptoms similar to a common cold, but it can progress to pneumonia and kidney failure, which can be fatal.
The virus, which is from the same family as the one responsible for the Covid pandemic, can be transmitted through contact with infected camels or other humans affected by the virus, although its transmission remains poorly understood by virologists.
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