MERS update: 3 more Saudi cases, 1 in Qatar

Robert Roos | News Editor | CIDRAP News
MERS-CoV
Doha, Qatar
Doha, Qatar

The case in Qatar involves a 23-year-old male "expatriate" who is asymptomatic. Photo is of Doha, Qatar., iStockphoto

Three more Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) cases, apparently including a fatal one, were reported in Saudi Arabia over the weekend, while Qatar reported an asymptomatic case in a foreigner in the country, according to government statements and news reports.

A machine-translated statement from the Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH), apparently issued on Oct 26, said the new cases all occurred in the Eastern province. The cases involve:

  • An 83-year-old citizen who had contact with a confirmed case-patient, had chronic illnesses, and was in an intensive care unit (ICU)
  • A 54-year-old resident healthcare worker with chronic illnesses who was in stable condition in an ICU
  • A 49-year-old citizen, also in stable condition in an ICU

In an English-language statement dated yesterday, the MOH announced that an 83-year-old in the Eastern region who had "many chronic diseases" died of MERS-CoV. The patient appears to be the same 83-year-old whose case was announced a day earlier.

The MOH's MERS-CoV tally now stands at 124 cases with 52 deaths.

The case in Qatar involves a 23-year-old male "expatriate" who is asymptomatic, according to a report today from The Peninsula, an English-language newspaper in Qatar. The country's Supreme Council of Health discovered the case during "epidemic investigation procedures," the story said, without giving any information on the man's possible exposures.

The diagnosis was made at the National Influenza Laboratory, according to the story. It said the patient's contacts were also tested, and initial results were all negative.

The case is Qatar's seventh and is the first in a non-Qatari, the report said. The last previous case in the country involved a 61-year-old man whose illness was announced Oct 17.

The new cases have not yet been confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO's MERS-CoV tally remains at 144 cases with 62 deaths.

See also:

Translated MOH statement on three new cases

Oct 27 English-language MOH statement on death of 83-year-old woman

Oct 28 Peninsula story on Qatar case

MOH site showing MERS case count

This week's top reads

  1. Study: COVID can trigger changes to the immune system that may underlie persistent symptoms

    Over 90% of COVID-19 survivors had no neutralizing antibody activity at 10 months, implying that they had lost protection from reinfection.

    Mary Van Beusekom
    SARS-CoV-2

  2. Risk of long COVID has ebbed during pandemic, mostly thanks to vaccines, new data reveal

    The highest risk of developing long COVID was seen among patients infected with the original strain of the virus, when no vaccines were available. 

    Stephanie Soucheray
    long COVID

  3. Avian flu infects two more Colorado poultry cullers, one at second farm

    Early results from blood sampling found no evidence of earlier undetected infection in Michigan dairy farm workers exposed to sick cows.

    Lisa Schnirring
    layer farm birds

  4. H5N1 strikes another large layer farm in Colorado, dairy herd in Minnesota

    Colorado's latest layer farm outbreak occurred not far from where culling workers were infected in a similar event.

    Lisa Schnirring

  5. US COVID-19 activity continues to rise steadily

    Two wastewater systems show high levels across most of the country.

    Lisa Schnirring

  6. Multistate Listeria outbreak tied to meats sliced at delis sickens 28, kills 2

    Sixteen of 18 people sickened (89%) reported eating meats sliced at deli counters (not packaged meats). 

    Mary Van Beusekom

  7. India reports fatal Nipah virus infection

    State officials said the boy had eaten plum fruit from the neighborhood before his symptoms began.

    Lisa Schnirring

  8. Study suggests earlier US-licensed H5N1 vaccines prompt antibodies to current strain

    Scientists said until the newer more closely matched vaccine is approved, earlier licensed vaccines might be a useful bridge, if needed.

    Lisa Schnirring
    vials and syringe

  9. Colorado orders weekly bulk tank avian flu testing for dairy farms

    The state has now reported 49 outbreaks in dairy cows, nearly half of its licensed dairy farms.

    Lisa Schnirring
    bulk milk tank

  10. Shortage of BD blood culture tubes forcing some hospitals to make tough decisions

    A BD exec said supplier manufacturing problems are behind the disruption and that more supplies should become available in September.

    Mary Van Beusekom
    Blood draw