Monday, February 20, 2017

Saudi MOH Announces 3 New MERS Cases


















#12,244


Although this year's numbers remain low, it is worth remembering that MERS-CoV - which emerged on the scene less than a year before H7N9 - not only has produced hundreds more human infections, but has a well documented history of producing large (mostly nosocomial) clusters of cases. 
Today KSA is reporting three new cases, two of which are `primary' with no known exposure, while the third reportedly had camel contact.

While neither virus appears ready for prime time, both continue to jump from animal hosts (camels for MERS, birds for H7N9) into the community, both continue to evolve, and both are regarded as having pandemic potential.