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Since February 2013, a novel avian influenza virus, A (H7N9), has infected more than   130 individuals in the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan. At least 44 of these infected individuals have died.   In a current article in the journal Respiratory Care , Chinese medical specialists report on the case-patient details of the first officially confirmed case from March 2013.[1]   Even with treatment, The 87-year-old man died a few days after admission to the hospital on March 4, 2013.   The authors state  . . . we identified the world’s first human case of avian influenza A H7N9 virus infection. When we first admitted this patient, there were no health care guidelines that we could follow. Even in the absence of a definite diagnosis of influenza infection, we actively carried out isolation protection in accordance with the   standard   hospital   infection-protection   protocols   while   closely coordinating the activities of diff...

Since August 28, seven cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-Cov) infection have been reported from the city of Madinah (Medina) by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health. Only minimal information about these cases has been provided in media statements.   The table below presents the information on these seven cases. Several have had contact with previously confirmed cases. Three individuals have died. Two individuals including one healthcare worker are reported as asymptomatic. And two individuals including the first reported case from Medina are still being treated.   Although it is possible that the initial case, the 55M, may have died and is double counted and reported as Case 2 in the table below. It is difficult to reconcile this case list with unconfirmed media reports from September 7 of   a doctor’s death in Medina. [1] Without more information, it is not possible to speculate whether there is one or more clusters, and whether or no...

At Epidemic - Molecular Epidemiology and Evolution of Viral Pathogens , Andrew Rambaut has compiled a list of 21 recently reported sequences of the Middle East Respiratory Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).[1] Lacking age and sex, and only having the collection date makes it difficult to correlate the sequence samples with previous, individually identified cases in the KSA. For provinces and cities in KSA that have only a few reported MERS-CoV cases, correlation of the sequences with individual cases is straight forward as the sample name is a clue to the geographic location.  For several of the recently released sequences, case information is provided below.  Bisha_1_2012 is likely from the 60-year-old-male from the town of Bisha in Asir Province. He experienced onset on June 6, 2012, was hospitalized on June 13, 2012 and died on June 24, 2012. He is not reported as part of any cluster of cases.  Riyadh_1_2012 is likely from a retired 70-year...

The eight countries reporting Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) cases through September 11, 2013 are color coded by frequency of reported cases in the map below.   The numbers presented for all countries, with the exception of Saudi Arabia,   are presumed to be accurate.   The count from Saudi Arabia is uncertain due to poor case reporting from the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health.   The local cluster outbreaks in the countries of France, Italy, Tunisia, and the United Kingdom are a result of the human-to-human infection. In each of these country clusters, the index case had recently returned from a trip to the Middle East.    World map of MERS--CoV cases as of September 11, 2013.

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is spreading throughout Saudi Arabia. The first known human infections of MERS-CoV occurred in 2012 in Jordan in a hospital setting.[1] Since then, more than 130+ suspected and confirmed cases have been recorded from eight countries in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. More than 100 cases (about 80% of all cases) have occurred in Saudi Arabia.   More concerning is that the number of cases is increasing rapidly in Saudi Arabia. In the last two weeks the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health has reported about 25 new cases.[2] Most of these new cases in Saudi Arabia appear to have been infected by human-to-human contact. It is time for public health officials to be proactive and support plans for developing a MERS-CoV vaccine. Spanish researchers have taken the first step and report that they are working towards developing a MERS-CoV candidate vaccine.[3] More MERS-CoV vaccine research is needed immediately, just in case. [1] Nove...