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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (January 5) closely monitoring four additional cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), including two deaths, reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), and again urged the public to pay special attention to safety during travel, taking due consideration of health risks of the places of visit.
According to the WHO, the patients involved a man and three women aged between 21 and 48, of whom a man aged 48 and a woman aged 35 passed away while two women aged 21 and 41 are currently hospitalised for treatment. The 48-year-old man had frequent camel contact and consumption of raw camel milk while the 41-year-old female patient is a contact of the above 35-year-old female patient. For the 21-year-old female patient, her history of exposure to known risk factors in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms is under investigation.
To date, 1 625 cases have been reported to the WHO, including at least 586 deaths. Of note, 1 412 were confirmed in nine Middle East countries including 1 277 in the KSA, 76 in the United Arab Emirates, 28 in Jordan, 13 in Qatar, six each in Iran and Oman, four in Kuwait, and one each in Lebanon and Yemen.
"Travellers to the Middle East should avoid going to farms, barns or markets with camels, avoid contact with sick persons and animals, especially camels, birds or poultry, and avoid unnecessary visits to healthcare facilities. We strongly advise travel agents organising tours to the Middle East to abstain from arranging camel rides and activities involving direct contact with camels, which are known risk factors for acquiring MERS Coronavirus," a spokesman for the CHP said.
"We will maintain close communication with the WHO and relevant health authorities," the spokesman added.
Travellers to affected areas should maintain vigilance, adopt appropriate health precautions and take heed of personal, food and environmental hygiene. The public may visit the pages below for more information and health advice:
* The CHP's MERS page (www.chp.gov.hk/en/view_content/26511.html);
* MERS statistics in affected areas (www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/distribution_of_mers_cases_en.pdf);
* The MERS page of the DH's Travel Health Service (www.travelhealth.gov.hk/english/popup/popup.html);
* The CHP Facebook Page (www.fb.com/CentreforHealthProtection);
* The CHP YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/c/ChpGovHkChannel); and
* The WHO's latest news (www.who.int/csr/don/archive/disease/coronavirus_infections/en).
Tour leaders and tour guides operating overseas tours are advised to refer to the CHP's health advice on MERS (www.chp.gov.hk/en/view_content/26551.html).
Ends/Tuesday, January 5, 2016
Issued at HKT 10:55
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