Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) declared that a case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) has been confirmed. The case is a male resident aged 50 years.

The patient has been admitted to the hospital to receive the necessary medical care in accordance with the national protocol to deal with confirmed or suspected cases of the disease. He had direct contact with camels. All the contacts of the patient are free of symptoms and will be monitored for 14 days as per the national protocols.

Ministry of Public Health, in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment, is taking all necessary preventive and precautionary measures to control the disease and prevent it from spreading.

MERS is a viral respiratory disease that is caused by one of the coronaviruses (MERS-CoV), but it differs from the novel Coronavirus known as (COVID19). Both viruses differ in terms of the source of infection, mode of transmission, and the disease severity.

The Ministry of Public Health calls on all members of public, and especially people with chronic diseases or those with immunodeficiency disorders, to adhere to public hygiene measures. This includes washing the hands regularly with water and soap, using hand sanitizers, as well as avoiding close contact with camels and seeking medical advice when experiencing symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat, or shortness of breath.

Source: Ministry of Public Health