Tunisian health worker in Al Ain suspected of having Mers is in good health

A Tunisian health worker in Al Ain who was kept in isolation in hospital last week as a precautionary measure is in good health.

ABU DHABI // The World Health Organisation said on Thursday that four additional cases of Mers have been discovered in the UAE.

The new cases, all healthcare workers, bring the number of people infected over the past week to 14. At least 10 of the infected came in contact with a colleague, Abundio Verzosa Esporlas, a 45-year-old Filipino paramedic who died on April 10 after contracting the virus.

All those infected are in stable condition and their family and healthcare contacts are also being checked, a WHO spokesman said.

Those infected are:

Ò A 44-year-old man from Abu Dhabi who was screened on April 13. He had no illness and is reported to have no underlying medical condition.

Ò A 30-year-old man from Abu Dhabi who was screened on April 13. He had no illness and is reported to have no underlying medical condition.

Ò A 34-year-old man from the Philippines who lives in Abu Dhabi. He was screened on April 13 without any illness and is reported not to have any underlying medical condition.

Ò A 28-year-old man from Abu Dhabi who became ill on April 14. He is reported to have no underlying medical condition.

Each of these people have no reported history of recent travel and have had no contact with animals. Three of them are in hospital isolation and one has returned to his home country, despite advice against it before laboratory results were received.

A Tunisian health worker in Al Ain who was kept in isolation in hospital last week as a precaution is in good health, an embassy official said.

This follows concerns by a relative who claimed that the man, who works as a paramedic at Al Jimi Hospital, may have contracted the Mers coronavirus.

“We were able to speak to the Tunisian citizen today who confirmed that he’s in good health,” said the Tunisian diplomat in Abu Dhabi. “He was so surprised to know that he was infected but is confident that he will leave the hospital by tomorrow.”

The man, whose identity has been withheld, underwent a first test which showed his immune system was strong enough to fight off the virus.

“Tests confirm that the Health Authority – Abu Dhabi (Haad) is taking preventive measures,” the embassy official said. “After having spoken to him today, we are reassured he’s in a stable condition.”

Haad said on Wednesday that the situation was not a public health concern, and it was coordinating with the Ministry of Health and other authorities, taking measures recommended by the WHO.

The Tunisian embassy official did not say whether the man, who is believed to be in his 40s, had had direct contact with Mr Esporlas.

“The main issue is that we got an assurance, mainly from his colleagues, that he’s safe and that we are following up this case.”

Meanwhile, a relative of the quarantined man said: “My brother-in-law was the one who carried the Filipino from his bed in his accommodation and took him to the hospital on April 6.”

The quarantined man tested negative for the second test on Tuesday, and underwent a third test on Thursday. “We are now waiting for the results,” the relative said. “If it turns out negative, he can leave the hospital.”

Haad asked the public to carry on as normal and avoid rumours by referring to reliable sources for information on the illness.

On Thursday, Manila's health department asked passengers on Etihad Airways flight EY0424 to contact the agency and report their condition after a Filipino nurse on the flight tested positive for the Mers coronavirus, according to a report in the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

The unnamed nurse, who was in contact with Mr Esporlas, arrived in Manila with his family on Tuesday. Health officials said he did not show symptoms of the illness and he was already on the plane to Manila when his test results in the UAE came out.