CDC: First US case of deadly virus MERS reported in Indiana

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Quigley_Sharps, May 2, 2014.


  1. Quigley_Sharps

    Quigley_Sharps The Badministrator Administrator Founding Member

    CDC: First US case of deadly virus MERS reported in Indiana


    Kendall Downing reports on the first US case of MERS confirmed in Indiana.



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    Above: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Transmission electron micrograph of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus

    Please continue to refresh this page, information is being updated and added frequently.

    MUNSTER, Ind. (May 2, 2014) — The first U.S. case of MERS-CoV has been reported in Indiana, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. The patient is currently being treated at Community Hospital in Munster.

    MERS-CoV, short for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, is a type of coronavirus. The incubation period for MERS is 5 days.

    CDC and the Indiana State Department of Heath are conducting a joint investigation of the first case of MERS-CoV in the United States. MERS-CoV, a virus new to humans, was first reported in the Arabian Peninsula in 2012.

    The Indiana MERS case brings the total confimed cases worldwide to 401. Twelve countries have reported cases.

    The CDC and Indiana health officials say the patient is a health care provider who recently traveled from Saudi Arabia. They are calling the case a “rapidly evolving situation.” The CDC also says they would not be surprised if additional MERS cases are identified. They are approaching the situation with “an abundance of caution.”

    The patient flew from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to London, England and then to Chicago on April 24. From Chicago the patient took a bus to Indiana. On the 27th, the patient began to experience respiratory symptoms, including shortness of breath, coughing, and fever. The patient went to an emergency department in an Indiana hospital on April 28th and was admitted on that same day. The patient is being well cared for and is isolated.

    The Indiana Department of Health says the patient is a U.S. citizen but worked in Saudi Arabia. The patient was in town for a health conference. Family members have been notified.

    Community Hospital in Munster has contacted all high-risk individuals. In an abundance of caution, individuals who visited the Emergency Department (ED) of Community Hospital in Munster between 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on April 28, 2014 should watch for signs and symptoms.

    If you visited the ED during this time and begin experiencing symptoms, please call your healthcare provider and let them know about your possible exposure to MERS-CoV.

    The patient is in the hospital in stable condition and requires oxygen.

    “We’ve anticipated MERS reaching the US, and we’ve prepared for and are taking swift action,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “We’re doing everything possible with hospital, local, and state health officials to find people who may have had contact with this person so they can be evaluated as appropriate. This case reminds us that we are all connected by the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. We can break the chain of transmission in this case through focused efforts here and abroad.”

    Since the first documented cases in spring 2012, MERS has sickened at least 339 people in Saudi Arabia alone and killed nearly a third of them, according to the country’s Ministry of Health.

    “It is understandable that some may be concerned about this situation, but this first U.S. case of MERS-CoV infection represents a very low risk to the general public,” said Dr. Anne Schuchat, assistant surgeon general and director of CDC’s National Center for Immunizations and Respiratory Diseases. In some countries, the virus has spread from person to person through close contact, such as caring for or living with an infected person. However, there is currently no evidence of sustained spread of MERS-CoV in community settings.

    Federal, state, and local health officials are taking action to minimize the risk of spread of the virus. The Indiana hospital is using full precautions to avoid exposure within the hospital and among healthcare professionals and other people interacting with the patient, as recommended by CDC.

    This story is developing. Check back for details.

    Q&A about MERS from the CDC:

    Q: What is MERS?
    A: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is a viral respiratory illness. MERS is caused by a coronavirus called “Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus” (MERS-CoV).

    Q: What is MERS-CoV?
    A: MERS-CoV is a beta coronavirus. It was first reported in 2012 in Saudi Arabia. MERS-CoV used to be called “novel coronavirus,” or “nCoV”. It is different from other coronaviruses that have been found in people before.

    Q: Is MERS-CoV the same as the SARS virus?
    A: No. MERS-CoV is not the same coronavirus that caused severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003. However, like the SARS virus, MERS-CoV is most similar to coronaviruses found in bats. CDC is still learning about MERS.

    Q: What are the symptoms of MERS?
    A: Most people who got infected with MERS-CoV developed severe acute respiratory illness with symptoms of fever, cough, and shortness of breath. About half of them died. Some people were reported as having a mild respiratory illness.

    Q: Does MERS-CoV spread from person to person?
    A: MERS-CoV has been shown to spread between people who are in close contact.[1] Transmission from infected patients to healthcare personnel has also been observed. Clusters of cases in several countries are being investigated.

    Q: How can I help protect myself?
    A: CDC advises that people follow these tips to help prevent respiratory illnesses:

    • 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.
    Q: Is there a vaccine?
    A: No, but CDC is discussing with partners the possibility of developing one.

    Q: What are the treatments?
    A: There are no specific treatments recommended for illnesses caused by MERS-CoV. Medical care is supportive and to help relieve symptoms.


    Read more at CDC: First US case of deadly virus MERS reported in Indiana | Fox 59 News – fox59.com
     
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  2. Quigley_Sharps

    Quigley_Sharps The Badministrator Administrator Founding Member

    [gasmask]
     
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  3. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

  4. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    Imagine all the people he came into contact with. This is real bad.
     
  5. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    I am really concerned about this. 1/3 fatality rate! I went to the zoo today, schools from all over where there. Snooty, sneezing, unwashed hands kids were everywhere. Just think if one kid there was sick. There were about 30 buses about 60 per bus. Plus regular people. Doors, railing and benches, the zoo is a germ fest. It really makes me see how easily this could spread to all areas.
     
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  6. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    @seth_test he wrote this in the twitter box-
    How many do you think he came into contact with on that trip? What bothers me is that they could be secretly looking into it. Why secretly, it is not like most people in the US would care or pay attention. Sad to say but most have no clue what is going on.
     
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  7. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    I don't remeber when, a month or so, but I said we are only one plane ride from a major outbreak.

    Imagine 10 folks coming in and landing in 10 places!

    Simple math.
     
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  8. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    If you were a group that had bad intentions..... just get someone doing a tranatlantic flight to release an airborne virus within a plane.... and make everyone a carrier, then they make their connections across the country.....
    Dustin Hoffman just walked into the room..... Outbreak (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
     
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  9. Jana

    Jana Monkey

    Not good. :(
     
  10. EDCraziness

    EDCraziness Monkey

    This scares me greatly but not for myself. My wife has terrible asthma and any powerful disease affecting the lungs terrifies me.
     
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  11. VHestin

    VHestin Farm Chick

    The Body of Proof 2parter dealing with the Marburg strain of hemorrhagic fever, that outbreak was terrorist-caused. The sick freak infected himself, then would cut his hands to put blood on surfaces that tons of people touched, like the handrails on buses, support rails on subway stairs, ATMs, etc. The research that I looked up(mainly from the CDC's website) says that not only are they lacking for a 'cure', they aren't really sure how people get it in the first place. They know it's zoonotic, but not mode of transmission. They do know that African fruit bats seem to be carriers. One confirmed case in U.S. was someone who had been to Africa and been in a (fruit bat) cave.

    My best idea to survive an outbreak is to A: practice isolation techniques. Not necessarily solitary confinement isolation, but isolating your body from coming into contact with others, as in face masks and gloves. And of course it's not just people, there's objects people touch as well, like packages you receive, stuff you buy at the store, the money you use to buy stuff, etc.

    B: do things that will boost your immune system to help your body fight off sickness instead of relying on pharmaceuticals.
     
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  12. EDCraziness

    EDCraziness Monkey

    Isolation becomes an issue when both you and your wife are Correctional Officers working in dorm settings with 288 men walking shoulder to shoulder with you in a building meant to house 120 inmates.

    One person comes in on a transport bus sick or one staff member comes in when they should have called in and suddenly you have an outbreak.

    Sent from my ridiculously large Galaxy Note 2.
     
  13. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    @EDCraziness I would be alarmed, actually I am. My kids tend to get sick and it goes straight to there lungs. They end up on the nebulizer. As they said this could spread real fast. How is the medical staff at the facility you work at?
     
  14. VHestin

    VHestin Farm Chick

    You'll note I was not talking about isolation from the rest of society, but using masks and gloves to avoid airborne germs/bacteria or physical skin to skin/fluid contact.
     
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  15. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    Hi @VHestin I have missed chatting w/ you. I know that there are labs that have not quite cures- they are in the testing phase. One lab in CO sent a shipment over to Africa to test out on their Ebola outbreak.

    With this MERS before the news tells you to start preparing and alerting officials, it could be at the pandemic level. My question is when do you know when to isolate yourself?
     
  16. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    @Yard Dart did you ever see Contagion. I saw that last month, what a scary movie. I have seen Outbreak also.
     
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  17. VHestin

    VHestin Farm Chick

    That's the tricky part, you really won't, because as mentioned earlier, it can be widespread BEFORE people start to get sick/die. I don't know the incubation period for MERS, but I do know the WHO/CDC can't even agree on the incubation period for Marburg. WHO says 3-9days, CDC says 5-10. So if this was Marburg, you're looking at 3-5 days before you realize you've got an outbreak.

    It's really scary, the only advice is to keep yourself healthy and make sure your immune system is strong. That and do not travel if you can help it.
     
  18. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    They said 5 days for MERS. I have been to many places and seen many people in the last five days. While I was in Japan the people there wore masks out & about. I would have no issue doing this.
     
  19. VHestin

    VHestin Farm Chick

    Where in Japan? You ever been to Osaka? We are going to buy more masks/gloves soon.
     
  20. EDCraziness

    EDCraziness Monkey

    I can't answer this publicly as a state employee. Does that answer your question though?

    Sent from my ridiculously large Galaxy Note 2.
     
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