One of the world’s deadliest diseases is feared to be spreading in the Middle East after a man in his 20s falls ill.
The 28-year-old from Abu Dhabi fought for his life in hospital after contracting MERS – a deadlier cousin of Covid.
Officials in the UAE, also home to Dubai, are now trying to contain the virus to ensure it doesn’t spread between people.
MERS, or the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, is said to kill up to a third of everyone it infects.
The virus is usually spread through contact with camels.
MERS is believed to kill more than a third of those it affects. It is also considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the 10 most pressing threats to humanity as there is no cure for it
MVD has a mortality rate of up to 88 percent. There are currently no vaccines or treatments approved to treat the virus
But World Health Organization leaders said the infected man, who had not been identified, had no contact with camels, goats or sheep — two other species harboring the disease.
In a report released this evening by the WHO, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) notified the UN agency of the matter on July 10, it confirmed.
However, details about how the man contracted the virus remain scarce.
Authorities have traced more than 100 contacts of the man – who had no known illnesses.
None of his contacts, who were monitored for two weeks, tested positive for the virus.
It is being investigated how the man caught MERS.
However, the WHO warned that more cases are inevitable.
But it continues to monitor “the situation,” it acknowledged and urged its member states to “look carefully at any unusual patterns.”
A report released tonight by the UN agency confirms that the patient was hospitalized on June 8.
A throat and nose PCR swab taken on June 21 revealed that the man was positive for MERS on June 23.
Also known as camel flu, MERS often leaves patients with symptoms of the common cold, but it can lead to pneumonia and kidney failure, both of which can be fatal.
The virus, which comes from the same family as the virus behind the Covid pandemic, can be spread by touching infected camels or other people affected by the bug, though it’s poorly understood by virologists.
Earlier this year, in May, WHO identified CCHF as one of nine ‘priority’ diseases posing the greatest risk to public health. They were considered the most risky due to lack of treatments or their ability to cause a pandemic
Britain has recorded just five cases of MERS, most recently in a Middle Eastern traveler in August 2018.
The symptoms are fever, cough, difficulty breathing, diarrhea and vomiting.
Since July 2013, when the UAE reported its first case of MERS, there have been 94 confirmed cases – including this new case – and 12 deaths reported.
Globally, the total number of confirmed MERS cases reported to WHO since 2012 stands at 2,605, including 936 deaths.
In a statement, the UN agency said it “continues to monitor the epidemiological situation and conduct risk assessments based on the most recent information available.”
It added: “WHO expects additional cases of MERS infection to be reported from the Middle East and/or other countries where MERS is circulating in camels.
“WHO reiterates the importance of strong surveillance by all Member States for acute respiratory infections, including MERS, and to carefully review unusual patterns.”