MERS-CoV in Saudi Arabia (Update 3)
07 Aug 2017
The Saudi Ministry of Health
reported 2 new cases of MERS-CoV on 6 August 2017. One is a female healthcare worker in Domat Aljandal and is likely to have become infected in a healthcare setting. The other case is a male in Ajran and is described as a primary infection.
This brings the total of MERS-CoV cases in Saudi Arabia to 1687 (including 686 deaths) since 2012.
Advice for Travellers
The risk associated with MERS-CoV to the general UK population remains extremely low. The risk to travellers to the Middle East remains very low.
Travellers to the Middle East or other countries reporting cases (check individual country pages on fitfortravel) are advised to:
- Avoid close contact with people suffering from respiratory infections.
- Wash-hands frequently, especially after direct contact with ill people or their environment.
- Avoid close contact with live farm or wild animals.
- Avoid contact with camels.
- Avoidconsumption of raw camel milk/urine, undercooked camel meat or camel products.
- Adhere to food safety and hygiene rules, such as avoiding undercooked meats, raw fruits and vegetables unless they have been peeled, or unsafe water.
- Adhere to respiratory hygiene measures if acute respiratory illness develops- maintain distance, cover coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues or clothing, and wash hands after disposing of tissues or coughing.
Travellers to the Middle East and or other countries reporting cases (check individual country pages on fitfortravel) who develop high fever, cough or severe illness either during travel or after their return should seek medical attention and share their history of travel.
For further advice see Middle East Respiratory Syndrome.