Source: www.health.am
There are raising alarms on the recent MERS cases in Malaysia and the United States. We have seen a sudden jump of cases since the disease was known to mankind since 2012. Allow me to introduce you to this creepy virus that has killed 93 people in 12 different countries and uniquely originated from 6 different countries in the Arabian Peninsula.
MERS; Middle East Respiratory Disease is part of the coronavirus family. Viruses from this family can cause a variety range of illness from normal flu or cold to SARS like disease. Surprisingly, this virus has spread from ill people to others but only through close contact and not through a sustained way in communities. Mmm….Guess the situation is still evolving.
MERS was first known as “Novel Coronavirus”, the term novel referred to something new among the coronavirus group. It was also called as n-CoV (Novel Coronavirus). Scientist then knew that this creepy virus was from a different sub group since it did not have the molecular characteristic of SARS. After extensive research, they then group n-CoV as a beta coronavirus. So in any case, do not panic, it is not SARS. The Coronavirus Study Group (CSG) of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) then decided in May 2013 to call the novel coronavirus “Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus” (MERS-CoV), the term which we are using today and I am sure it was not an easy task to name this creepy virus. Took them a long whole 1 year to identify and name MERS.
As creepy as it sounds, the number of confirmed cases kept growing and recently MERS has been found in Malaysia, the Philippines, Yemen, Greece and even the US. All the victims had recently travelled to the Arabian Peninsula.
Remember, MERS only spread through close contact. WHO (World Health Organization) supported this statement by concluding that three quarters of the recent infections were secondary cases, that is, they caught the virus from another person through close contact. Most of these secondary infections have also occurred in health care facilities, with the virus being passed to healthcare workers and other patients.
Till today, most of the new cases have been mild and it is said that secondary cases are less likely to spread the virus….BUT our caution is, much is still unknown on how MERS is transmitted.
I quote “According to Dr. Michael Osterholm of the Center for Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), the disease may have “reached a tipping point and could be ready to spread out of the region.” He cautioned that, “It took us over a year to get the first hundred cases of this viral infection, now in just the last two weeks, we’ve had a hundred cases. … There’s a major change occurring that cannot just be attributed to better case detection. Something’shappening.”
So now comes the golden question…. Isn’t this contradicting? From one end I tell you not to panic and on the other hand Dr Michael tells you that something major is occurring, something’s happening…..
Well, different scientist, different doctors have different opinions. Main stream media, social media can give you the best information that you want to hear, but our duty here is to give you the best health knowledge that is applicable to our own local setting in Malaysia.
For now, CDC, WHO and even the Ministry Of Health, Malaysia is trying their level best to increase the surveillance level of this disease, to study the molecular level of the disease and even the epidemiological link of this disease to stop this disease from spreading.
Till today, we don’t exactly know who to blame? I mean the source of the disease. Is it the camels? The bats? Based on these hypothetical questions, MERS virus has been found in camels in Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and bats in Saudi Arabia, some camels even tested positive for antibodies to MERS virus, indicating they were previously infected with MERS virus or a closely related virus. However, we don’t know whether camels are the source of the virus since thorough study is needed to identify the possible role that camels, and bats in the transmission of MERS virus. So here comes another golden question? Am I at risk to be infected by MERS in Malaysia? I will confidently say no, you are not considered to be at risk for MERS infection if you had no close contact, with someone who is being evaluated as a risk of MERS infection or travel history to the Arabian Peninsula.
However, if you develop flu like symptoms; such as cough or shortness of breath, within 14 days after traveling from countries in the Arabian Peninsula, don’t hesitate to see your healthcare provider and remember to mention your RECENT TRAVEL.
Well, for now, let me remind you that there are NO VACCINES and NO TREATMENT for MERS. The only way to protect ourselves is to practice Universal Precautions. Take few seconds to learn and understand. Adopted by CDC: Tips.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds, and help young children do the same. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol based hand sanitizer.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact, such as kissing, sharing cups, or sharing eating utensils, with sick people.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as toys and doorknobs.
In conclusion, “In this 21st century, human being travels faster than the incubation period of an infectious disease and that is enough to spread deadly diseases. I rather think it’s a small world when it comes to diseases”.
Dr. Dhesi BR is the founder of Malaysian Medical Gazette pursuing his PhD in public heath at UniMas, Sarawak. Learn more about him at the Team Page.
[This article belongs to The Malaysian Medical Gazette. Any republication (online or offline) without written permission from The Malaysian Medical Gazette is prohibited.]
References:
- WHO: International / Coronavirus (Official Website)
- CDC: Coronavirus / MERS (Official Website)
- Ministry Of Health Malaysia; Report on MERS