***********************************************
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (March 24) closely monitoring a total of four additional cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) on March 15 and 16, including one fatal case. The CHP again urged the public to pay special attention to safety during travel, taking due consideration of health risks in the places they visit.
According to the WHO, the patients are three men and a woman aged between 45 and 84. Among them, one had a history of frequent consumption of raw camel milk while another was linked to a MERS outbreak in a local hospital. The source of infection of the remaining two patients is under investigation. One of the male patients, aged 84, passed away on March 14.
In addition, three previous confirmed patients died.
To date, 1 698 cases have been reported to the WHO, including at least 609 deaths. Of note, 1 484 were confirmed in nine Middle East countries, with 1 345 in the KSA, 78 in the United Arab Emirates, 28 in Jordan, 14 in Qatar, seven in Oman, six in Iran, 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/Thursday, March 24, 2016
Issued at HKT 12:00
NNNN
