ABU DHABI // An elderly man from Abu Dhabi who had frequent contact with camels has died of Mers Coronavirus.
The man, 73, visited a health care clinic in Abu Dhabi after developing symptoms – shortness of breath, coughing and fever – on December 27.
He was treated and sent home the same day. On December 31 he had travelled to and from Oman with his family. He returned to Abu Dhabi the following day and developed the symptoms. He was admitted to hospital where he tested positive for Mers-CoV on January 10 and died on Monday, the Health Authority Abu Dhabi said on Wednesday.
“The patient had a history of frequent contact with camels,” the World Health Organisation said. “He consumed raw camel milk once in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms. He had no history of exposure to other risk factors in Abu Dhabi and in Oman in the 14 days prior to onset of symptoms.”
A woman, 85, from Abu Dhabi has also tested positive for Mers. She is now asymptomatic and is in a hospital isolation room.
Globally, since September 2012, the WHO has been notified of 1,632 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with Mers-CoV, including at least 587 related deaths. It is not yet known how the virus is transmitted.
Until more is understood about the disease, people with diabetes, renal failure and chronic lung disease are considered to be at high risk of severe disease, according to the WHO.
“These people should avoid close contact with animals, particularly camels, when visiting farms, markets, or barn areas where the virus is known to be potentially circulating. General hygiene measures, such as regular hand washing before and after touching animals and avoiding contact with sick animals, should be adhered to,” the WHO said. “Food hygiene practices should be observed. People should avoid drinking raw camel milk or camel urine, or eating meat that has not been properly cooked.”
This month, a man and his wife tested positive for Mers in the UAE. It was not clear whether the virus came from camel products, but it was “very likely” the man had visited a camel farm, according to the WHO. His wife, who did not have any of the flu-like symptoms that her husband exhibited, had traces of the virus detected in her system.
Prior to these instances, the UAE had not reported a case of Mers since June 21 last year.
Saudi Arabia has also reported new cases of the virus recently, according to the WHO. Between December 27 and January 13, four men between the ages of 50 and 89 have tested positive for the virus. In each case, the men had “a history of frequent contact with camels” and three of the men also had a history of “consumption of their raw milk.”
newsdesk@thenational.ae
