Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and Muslim, world

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and Muslim, World

We are now global village and in village things spread/shared quickly. Solution is always present in or around the problem.

Muslims from all over the world are performing Hajj now and this Hajj is very much important regarding recent threat of respiratory syndrome in Saudi Arabia. As there is no vaccination is available for this virus so it will determine the fate of Muslim Ummah and rest of the world. Uptill now 82 laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV); 72% have been male. Forty five of the confirmed cases have died.

Current as of July 16, 2013, 9:00 AM EDT

Countries	Cases (Deaths)
France	2 (1)
Italy	3 (0)
Jordan	2 (2)
Qatar	2 (1)
Saudi Arabia	66 (38)
Tunisia	2 (0)
United Kingdom (UK)	3 (2)
United Arab Emirates (UAE)	2 (1)
Total	82 (45)

Among the new laboratory-confirmed cases of MERS-CoV reported since the last update on 31 May 2013, three have been reported by Italy. A 45-year-old Italian resident, travelled to Amman, Jordan in mid-April. He developed mild respiratory symptoms one day before returning home to Italy in late May. He was admitted to hospital with pneumonia 3 days after returning home. Nasopharyngeal (NP) and throat swabs taken on the day following admission were positive for MERS-CoV.

Coronaviruses (CoV) are common worldwide. They usually cause colds. However, a novel coronavirus called “Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus” (MERS-CoV) has caused severe illness and death in people from several countries. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), formerly called "novel coronavirus (nCoV)," was identified in 2012 in Saudi Arabia. Most people who got infected with MERS-CoV developed severe acute respiratory illness with symptoms of fever, cough, and shortness of breath. About half of them died. Investigators are trying to figure out the source of MERS-CoV and how it spreads. There are no reported cases in the United States. This virus is different from any other coronavirus previously found in people. It is also different from the coronavirus that caused SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) in 2003. However, like the SARS virus, MERS-CoV is most similar to coronaviruses found in bats.

Coronaviruses are named for the crown-like spikes on their surface and divided into three main sub-groupings of coronaviruses, named as alpha, beta and gamma, and a fourth provisionally-assigned new group called delta coronaviruses. Human coronaviruses were first identified in the mid 1960s and alpha coronaviruses 229E and NL63 and beta coronaviruses OC43, HKU1, and SARS-CoV, the coronavirus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome in human.

Coronaviruses may also infect animals. Most of these coronaviruses usually infect only one animal species or, at most, a small number of closely related species. However, SARS-CoV can infect people and animals, including monkeys, Himalayan palm civets, raccoon dogs, cats, dogs, and rodents.

Precautionary Measures:

The human coronaviruses spread from an infected person to others through, the air by coughing and sneezing, and close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands.  These viruses may also spread by touching contaminated objects or surfaces then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.

CDC has developed checklists that identify key actions that can be taken now to enhance preparedness for treating persons with MERS-CoV infection and compiled a list of preparedness resources (available at http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/mers/preparedness).

On 5 June 2013, WHO published updated guidance on travel recommendations for MERS-CoV (http://www.who.int/ith/updates/20130605/en/index.html).

This situation is reminding me of Hollywood Fiction movie “ Contagion”, released in 2011. In this movie similar type of situation is shown and how it was taken care of. We, at least should proceed on such guidelines and make quarantine arrangements.

Suggestions:

As the scientists are working on this issue, evidence is accumulating to suggest that nasopharyngeal swabs are less sensitive for detecting infection with MERS-CoV than specimens taken from the lower respiratory track.

Government of Pakistan initially should get the data of the people travelled to and from Middle East in past three months and check them for infection to assess the proper disease level, otherwise it will burst open like Dengue and will be impossible to control.

·         Scientist in Pakistan should made head-to-head comparisons on the two approaches to diagnosis of MERS-CoV.

·         Scientist should also look for those people who had infected with MERS-CoV and somehow recovered on the basis of their immune system, it may lead us to new vaccine.

Currently, as no data is available of this disease level in Pakistan, except some paper guidelines as always. I feel that people in villages should be taken care of, if someone infected is there and EID-ul-Azha celebration is near and people will move to their hometowns for celebrations and no one knows what we are taking with us. Mobile laboratories can be started immediately for screening of this disease in Pakistan or Rescue 115 can be used.   

These mobile laboratories must also be used for diagnosis of CongoVirus in animals, as EID is approaching, or atleast a Vet Doctor should be appointed on each sale point and before sale of the animal, it must be tested for virus. This is the time to make and implement policies because “ We are now global village and in villages things spread/shared quickly”.

(Information produced above was searched from major database, CDC, WHO websites)

World Health Organization (WHO).

JuRehman