MERS Outbreak Could Spread With Annual Pilgrimage: Officials
By Maggie Fox
NBCNews.com
June 17th 2014
The outbreaks of mysterious MERS virus isn’t yet a global emergency, but the coming mass pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia called the Hajj will give the virus a big chance to spread, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.
Health officials said Saudi Arabia is taking important steps to study and control the virus, which travelers have carried around the world, including to the United States.
Camels and hospitals are both important for the spread of the virus, which has infected more than 700 people and killed at least 249 of them, making for a worrying 36 percent fatality rate, WHO said. Those are just officially reported cases — other groups, including the European Center for Disease Control, gives a higher count of more than 800 cases.
But basic awareness and simple hygiene measures should be enough to control its spread, WHO’s MERS Emergency Committee said after its meeting.
“The Committee indicated that the situation remains serious in terms of public health impact. However, the upsurge in cases that began in April has now decreased and there is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission in communities,” WHO said in a statement.
“The situation remains serious in terms of public health impact.”
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