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Written By: Editorial Team | Updated : May 18, 2014 12:52 PM IST
The spread of a puzzling respiratory virus in the Middle East and beyond does not yet constitute a global health emergency despite a recent spike in cases, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said today. The decision was made after a meeting of WHO's expert group on the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). Since 2012, MERS has sickened more than 500 people and killed 145, mostly in the Middle East. The vast majority of cases have been in Saudi Arabia, although the disease has spread within the region and to Asia, North Africa, Europe and the United States.
MERS often starts with flu-like symptoms but can lead to pneumonia, breathing problems and in severe cases, kidney failure and death. 'Calling a global emergency in a world which has a lot of urgent issues going on is a major act. You have to have really solid information to say this is a global emergency,' Dr Keiji Fukuda, an assistant director-general of WHO, told reporters today. Fukuda said there wasn't yet proof of the virus' sustained transmission among people. Last week WHO did declare the world's widening polio outbreaks to be an international health emergency. Some scientists said while MERS technically meets the criteria for a global health emergency, declaring it as such could confuse the public. 'People might think (WHO) is crying wolf because MERS is still primarily a problem in the Middle East,' said Michael Osterholm, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Minnesota who has worked in the Middle East. 'But if one of those infected people gets on a plane and lands in London, Toronto, New York or Hong Kong and transmits to another 30 people, everyone will have a different view,' Michael added. The Netherlands' National Institute for Public Health and the Environment announced its first case of MERS today, a man who became infected during a visit to Saudi Arabia.(Read: Kerala on high alert over MERS)
Experts say the spread of MERS is worryingly similar to the 2003 global outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS, which infected about 8,000 people in 2003, killing nearly 800. MERS is genetically related to SARS. Scientists are unsure exactly how people are catching MERS but suspect the disease is linked to camels. WHO recommends that people avoid contact with the animals, skip drinking camel milk or using camel urine in traditional medicines and only eat camel meat that has been well cooked. WHO said its expert committee would reconvene in several weeks to consider any new MERS developments. (Read: MERS virus exposure: Two US hospital workers fall ill)
What exactly is the MERS-CoV?
The MERS is a viral respiratory illness caused by a coronavirus which has been christened Middle East Respiratory Coronavirus.
MERS-CoV fact sheet
1. Spread by animals in contact with bats
Mostly carried by bats but also some other vertebrates, the MERS Coronovirus spreads very rapidly in animals when they are kept together in confined and crowded places like live-animal markets, slaughter houses and while transporting animals by ships. Close and prolong contact with infected animals, which may not show any symptoms, helps virus jump to human. As it happened in SARS most of the animal traders were found to have SARS antibodies without any symptoms. This is a stage of adaptation to a new host (Inter-species transfer) which led to possible viral genetic mutation to adapt to its new human host. Same may be true for MERS-CoV.
2. It doesn't spread rapidly among humans
MERS is not transmitted very readily from person-to-person. This may occur after close and prolonged contact with infected patient in closed environment like home, hospitals etc. Infection spreads by coughing, droplet infection. But it can become air borne, meaning spread by air in hospitals when infected patient is given pressurized oxygen, intubated or procedures like bronchoscopy or during the use of pressurized devises like dental drill etc making healthcare workers more susceptible.
3. Infection control in hospitals and clinics can prevent spread
Healthcare workers getting infected by MERS are reported on a regular basis which shows failure of observing stringent Infection Control Procedures in the hospitals. It is the responsibility of the hospitals to educate their staff, supervise and implement strict Infection Control and isolation procedures. Infected healthcare workers take the infection to their family and wider community. (Read: 12 fast facts about MERS-CoV)
With inputs from PTI
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