Public health round-up

Saudi Arabia has seen a surge in the number of cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in Saudi Arabia in recent weeks. In February, more than 50 cases were reported in several locations, including infections acquired in health facilities in Riyadh and Damman City. A team of experts from the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Organization for Animal Health and the Pasteur Institute in France visited Saudi Arabia to assess the situation and to make recommendations for improving surveillance and control, and for preventing infection with MERS coronavirus (CoV). Members of the joint mission held discussions with representatives from the ministry of health, visited the centre that is responsible for MERS-CoV control efforts, and toured the emergency and isolation facilities of the Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz Hospital. Government officials and members of the WHO-led mission shared their concerns about the rising number of MERS-CoV cases in recent weeks and, in particular, in health-care facilities. WHO and the Saudi Arabian health authorities identified several key areas for urgent attention. A better understanding of the modes of infection and transmission between animals and humans is needed as well as more research studies – the findings of which should be shared widely and promptly. Efforts are also needed to improve infection control, especially in health facilities, while social mobilization, community engagement and communications should be stepped up to raise more awareness about how to prevent the disease. MERS-CoV is a viral respiratory disease caused by a coronavirus that was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012. MERS-CoV cases continue to occur, with sporadic cases and clusters of cases in communities and health-care settings. There is still no evidence of sustained human to human transmission. In total since the emergence of the virus in April 2012, 1059 laboratory–confirmed cases of MERS-CoV, including at least 394 deaths have been reported to WHO, as of 11 March. More than 85% of these have been reported from Saudi Arabia. http://www.who.int/csr/don/11march-2015-mers-saudi-arabia