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Source: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-persp...an-mar-25-2014
News Scan for Mar 25, 2014
Two MERS cases in UAE; Polio confirmed in Iraq; Cruise-ship measles update
Filed Under:
Iraq; Measles; MERS-CoV; Polio
WHO reports 2 MERS cases in UAE, raising global count to 200
In separate announcements today, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported two more Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) cases in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), one of them fatal, raising the global MERS count to 200 cases.
One case involves a 49-year-old man from Abu Dhabi who has underlying medical conditions and had contact with another MERS patient, the WHO said in a statement. He was hospitalized Feb 27 and then discharged on Mar 9 after improving. But he was hospitalized again on Mar 16 and is now in critical condition. UAE authorities informed the WHO of the case on Mar 20.
The patient had not traveled recently and has had no recent contact with animals, but he did have contact with a MERS patient whose case was reported to the WHO on Mar 11, the agency reported. That patient was a 68-year-old Abu Dhabi man who owns camels, the agency reported on Mar 12. Both patients were treated in the same hospital on Mar 1.
The WHO announced the second new case via Twitter this afternoon. UAE officials reported the case to the WHO on Mar 23, saying it involves an Omani, the WHO post said. Without listing the patient's age or gender, the agency said he or she had no recent history of travel and no contact with animals or other MERS patients.
A separate WHO tweet said the second case raises the agency's MERS count to 200 cases, including 85 deaths.
Mar 25 WHO statement on case in 49-year-old
WHO Twitter feed
WHO confirms polio detection in Iraq, more cases in Syria
The WHO has confirmed a wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV-1) case in Iraq, the country's first case in 14 years, according to a Mar 21 statement. The infection occurred in a 6-month old boy from Baghdad who had not been immunized and who experienced paralysis on Feb 10.
Gene sequencing suggests that the virus is closely related to viruses detected in Syriaproviding further evidence of regional spread, the agency said. The virus was also isolated from the boy's 3-year-old sister, who did not have symptoms.
The WHO said prospects for controlling the disease in Iraq are promising, because the country has participated in a Middle East outbreak response that was triggered by Syria's polio outbreak in October. The agency estimated that two nationwide immunization campaigns and three subnational efforts reached about 95% of children in Iraq, though coverage varied by area. Global health groups put the 2012 routine immunization level for Iraq at 70%, with the level in Baghdad higher, at 81%.
In its statement, the WHO also said 20 more WPV-1 cases have been detected in Syria since its last update on Nov 26, raising the total so far to 37. It said 25 of the cases have been reported by Syria's health ministry and 12 have been reported from contested areas in Aleppo, Edleb, and Deir Al Zour. The most recent case-patient had paralysis onset on Dec 17.
Mar 21 WHO statement
Measles outbreak tied to cruise ship reaches 34 cases
A total of 34 cases of measles on or associated with the Mediterranean cruise ship Costa Pacifica had been reported as of Mar 21, according to an epidemiologic update today from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
The outbreak began in February, and the majority of case-patients (22) have been crew members or other workers. No new cases among crew members have been reported since Mar 14. However, five contacts of an Italian passenger who developed measles and disembarked on Mar 14 also contracted measles; one had pneumonia and was admitted to an intensive care unit.
The index case-patient, an Italian crew member who had fever and rash, received care off the ship Feb 22; his diagnosis was confirmed Feb 27. The majority of cases in crew members occurred from Feb 20 to 27.
Vaccinations were given to more than 800 of the 1,000 crew members between Feb 28 and Mar 1. Passengers embarking and disembarking since the outbreak began have been given information and offered vaccinations since Feb 28.
Mar 25 ECDC update
Mar 6 CIDRAP News story on the outbreak
Mar 14 CIDRAP News scan on the outbreak
News Scan for Mar 25, 2014
Two MERS cases in UAE; Polio confirmed in Iraq; Cruise-ship measles update
Filed Under:
Iraq; Measles; MERS-CoV; Polio
WHO reports 2 MERS cases in UAE, raising global count to 200
In separate announcements today, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported two more Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) cases in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), one of them fatal, raising the global MERS count to 200 cases.
One case involves a 49-year-old man from Abu Dhabi who has underlying medical conditions and had contact with another MERS patient, the WHO said in a statement. He was hospitalized Feb 27 and then discharged on Mar 9 after improving. But he was hospitalized again on Mar 16 and is now in critical condition. UAE authorities informed the WHO of the case on Mar 20.
The patient had not traveled recently and has had no recent contact with animals, but he did have contact with a MERS patient whose case was reported to the WHO on Mar 11, the agency reported. That patient was a 68-year-old Abu Dhabi man who owns camels, the agency reported on Mar 12. Both patients were treated in the same hospital on Mar 1.
The WHO announced the second new case via Twitter this afternoon. UAE officials reported the case to the WHO on Mar 23, saying it involves an Omani, the WHO post said. Without listing the patient's age or gender, the agency said he or she had no recent history of travel and no contact with animals or other MERS patients.
A separate WHO tweet said the second case raises the agency's MERS count to 200 cases, including 85 deaths.
Mar 25 WHO statement on case in 49-year-old
WHO Twitter feed
WHO confirms polio detection in Iraq, more cases in Syria
The WHO has confirmed a wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV-1) case in Iraq, the country's first case in 14 years, according to a Mar 21 statement. The infection occurred in a 6-month old boy from Baghdad who had not been immunized and who experienced paralysis on Feb 10.
Gene sequencing suggests that the virus is closely related to viruses detected in Syriaproviding further evidence of regional spread, the agency said. The virus was also isolated from the boy's 3-year-old sister, who did not have symptoms.
The WHO said prospects for controlling the disease in Iraq are promising, because the country has participated in a Middle East outbreak response that was triggered by Syria's polio outbreak in October. The agency estimated that two nationwide immunization campaigns and three subnational efforts reached about 95% of children in Iraq, though coverage varied by area. Global health groups put the 2012 routine immunization level for Iraq at 70%, with the level in Baghdad higher, at 81%.
In its statement, the WHO also said 20 more WPV-1 cases have been detected in Syria since its last update on Nov 26, raising the total so far to 37. It said 25 of the cases have been reported by Syria's health ministry and 12 have been reported from contested areas in Aleppo, Edleb, and Deir Al Zour. The most recent case-patient had paralysis onset on Dec 17.
Mar 21 WHO statement
Measles outbreak tied to cruise ship reaches 34 cases
A total of 34 cases of measles on or associated with the Mediterranean cruise ship Costa Pacifica had been reported as of Mar 21, according to an epidemiologic update today from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
The outbreak began in February, and the majority of case-patients (22) have been crew members or other workers. No new cases among crew members have been reported since Mar 14. However, five contacts of an Italian passenger who developed measles and disembarked on Mar 14 also contracted measles; one had pneumonia and was admitted to an intensive care unit.
The index case-patient, an Italian crew member who had fever and rash, received care off the ship Feb 22; his diagnosis was confirmed Feb 27. The majority of cases in crew members occurred from Feb 20 to 27.
Vaccinations were given to more than 800 of the 1,000 crew members between Feb 28 and Mar 1. Passengers embarking and disembarking since the outbreak began have been given information and offered vaccinations since Feb 28.
Mar 25 ECDC update
Mar 6 CIDRAP News story on the outbreak
Mar 14 CIDRAP News scan on the outbreak