Looking at Camels and MERS-CoV - by Ian M MacKay, PhD

[Gert van der Hoek]

by Ian M MacKay, PhD

Looking at Camels and MERS-CoV

@influenza_bio brought some novel personal speculation to the camel/MERS-CoV debate. And asks, as we all do, when will we see human screening in areas providing positive camels but not reports of human MERS-CoV detections?

A biologist @influenza_bio
Follow
Prev report on #MERS in camels in Egypt found that all with MERS were imported from Sudan or Ethiopia for slaughter. http://1.usa.gov/1lsFcOy
6:46 PM - 16 Jun 2014

A biologist @influenza_bio
Follow
@MackayIM @maiamajumder @HelenBranswell @DavidQuammen It actually seems a bit strange to me that something like this hasn't happened yet!
10:25 PM - 16 Jun 2014

A biologist @influenza_bio
Follow
NatGeo on live animal trade to KSA for Hajj (camels mentioned): The Largest Trade ?On The Hoof? http://on.natgeo.com/1sjq9uh
10:55 PM - 16 Jun 2014

A biologist @influenza_bio
Follow
2011 news article on increasing camel imports from Horn of Africa to Arabian Peninsula http://somalilandpress.com/horn-of-africa-to-double-livestock-exports-to-saudi-arabia-21259 ?
10:58 PM - 16 Jun 2014

A biologist @influenza_bio
Follow
Is this the real reason we're seeing more MERS cases in KSA? From 11/13: Somali meat exports to Saudi Arabia soar http://on.ft.com/1a4VuC1 @FT
11:06 PM - 16 Jun 2014

A biologist @influenza_bio
Follow
@MackayIM @almont12 Yep. These countries have bigger issues to deal with right now.
11:14 PM - 16 Jun 2014

A biologist @influenza_bio
Follow
@DocFM1 @almont12 Somalia, Sudan & other countries in region have other issues to deal with.
11:14 PM - 16 Jun 2014

A biologist @influenza_bio
Follow
"Jeddah Islamic Port is the largest port in the world of handling of livestock" http://bit.ly/1n5RS9B
11:22 PM - 16 Jun 2014

A biologist @influenza_bio
Follow
Most recent FAOSTAT data on KSA camel imports. In 2011, KSA had 240k camels + imported 141,560 (59% of total). #MERS
11:34 PM - 16 Jun 2014

A biologist @influenza_bio
Follow
@almont12 Do you know whether KSA is currently banning camel imports? I saw a report of that in May.
11:36 PM - 16 Jun 2014

Almonther Hershan @almont12
Follow
@influenza_bio yes,article reported that they stopped import camels from3African countries.Sudan,Ethiopia & Somalia. http://www.albayan.ae/one-world/arabs/2014-05-06-1.2116311 ?
11:42 PM - 16 Jun 2014

biologist @influenza_bio
Follow
RT @almont12 yes,article reported that they stopped import camels from3African countries.Sudan,Ethiopia & Somalia. http://bit.ly/1lKcmbb

السعودية توقف استيراد الإبل من 3 دول أفريقية
أوقف تجار المواشي في المملكة العربية السعودية استيراد الإبل من ثلاث دول أفريقية، كإجراء احترازي بسبب الخوف من فيروس كورونا،

صحيفة البيان @AlBayanNews

A biologist @influenza_bio
Follow
@Microbide Yes. & as I tweeted earlier today, 59% of KSA camels imported into KSA in 2011, total 382k. Huge mov't. Let alone domestic mov't.
3:34 AM - 17 Jun 2014

A biologist @influenza_bio
Follow
Are we looking for #MERS under the lamp post? 7M camels in Somalia, 0.9M in Ethiopia, 4.75M in Sudan vs. 0.26M stocks in KSA (FAOSTAT 2012).
3:35 PM - 18 Jun 2014

A biologist @influenza_bio
Follow
And #MERS has been found in camels exported from Ethiopia and Sudan for slaughter.
3:35 PM - 18 Jun 2014

A biologist @influenza_bio
Follow
How many human #MERS cases have there been in the Horn of Africa + Sudan that no one knows about?
3:36 PM - 18 Jun 2014

A biologist @influenza_bio
Follow
In addition to understanding transmission & what's going on in KSA, UAE, someone needs to be looking for #MERS in Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan.
3:38 PM - 18 Jun 2014

A biologist @influenza_bio
Follow
It would be very useful to know as much as possible about #MERS in camels & people esp. in ports/export routes of Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan.
3:41 PM - 18 Jun 2014

A biologist @influenza_bio
Follow
@HaertlG Do you know whether any #MERS surveillance in camels and/or people is occurring or planned in Somalia, Ethiopia or Sudan? Thanks.
3:45 PM - 18 Jun 2014

A biologist @influenza_bio
Follow
@Peterfoodsafety @mvankerkhove @HaertlG Thx for reply. Because found in camels in Egypt exported from Ethiopia, Sudan, would think it 1/2
7:25 AM - 19 Jun 2014

A biologist @influenza_bio
Follow
@Peterfoodsafety @mvankerkhove @HaertlG ..worthwhile to target camels, even small #, in Berbera, Bosasso, Mogadishu, Djibouti ports 2/3
7:37 AM - 19 Jun 2014