Qatar reports additional case of MERS coronavirus, man worked on farm of previous MERS patient

The World Health Organization (WHO) is reporting an additional laboratory-confirmed case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection in Qatar.

This thin section, negatively-stained transmission electron micrograph (TEM) revealed some of the ultrastructural morphology of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), which was formerly known as novel coronavirus. Image/Maureen Metcalfe; Azaibi Tamin

According to the WHO update, the patient is a 23-year-old man who was identified as a close contact of a previously laboratory-confirmed case as part of the epidemiological investigation. He is a worker in the animal barn owned by the previously laboratory-confirmed case. The man developed mild symptoms of illness and is in good condition.

The patient had no recent history of travel outside Qatar.

This brings the global case count to 145 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including 62 deaths.

This is the seventh confirmed case of MERS-CoV in Qatar.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that includes viruses that may cause a range of illnesses in humans, from the common cold to SARS. Viruses of this family also cause a number of animal diseases.

MERS-CoV is different from any other coronavirus that has been previously found in people.

Patients diagnosed and reported to date have had respiratory disease as their primary illness. Diarrhoea is commonly reported among the patients and severe complications include renal failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with shock. It is possible that severely immunocompromised patients can present with atypical signs and symptoms.

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