Press Release

Update on latest MERS situation in Saudi Arabia

25 April 2016

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (April 25) closely monitoring a total of 10 additional cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) between April 1 and 15, including three fatal cases. The CHP again urged the public to pay special attention to safety during travel, taking due consideration of health risks in the places they visit.

According to the WHO, the patients are nine men and one woman aged from 21 to 75, with eight having underlying illnesses. Among them, four had a history of frequent contact with dromedaries and consumption of their raw milk, one had contact with a previously confirmed case in a hospital and one was admitted to a hospital in which a MERS outbreak occurred. The source of infection of the remaining four patients is under investigation. Three patients aged between 70 and 75 passed away. Two patients are in a critical condition while the remaining five are in a stable condition.

In addition, two previously confirmed patients died.

To date, 1 724 cases have been reported to the WHO, including at least 623 deaths. Of note, 1 510 were confirmed in nine Middle East countries, with 1 371 in the KSA, 78 in the United Arab Emirates, 28 in Jordan, 14 in Qatar, seven in Oman, six in Iran, four in Kuwait, and one each in Lebanon and Yemen.

"Travellers to the Middle East should avoid going to farms, barns or markets with camels, avoid contact with sick persons and animals, especially camels, birds or poultry, and avoid unnecessary visits to healthcare facilities. We strongly advise travel agents organising tours to the Middle East to abstain from arranging camel rides and activities involving direct contact with camels, which are known risk factors for acquiring MERS Coronavirus," a spokesman for the CHP said.

"We will maintain close communication with the WHO and relevant health authorities," the spokesman added.

Travellers to affected areas should maintain vigilance, adopt appropriate health precautions and take heed of personal, food and environmental hygiene. The public may visit the pages below for more information and health advice:

• The CHP's MERS page (This link will open in a new windowwww.chp.gov.hk/en/view_content/26511.html);
• MERS statistics in affected areas (This link will open in a new windowwww.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/distribution_of_mers_cases_en.pdf);
• The MERS page of the DH's Travel Health Service (This link will open in a new windowwww.travelhealth.gov.hk/english/popup/popup.html);
• The CHP Facebook Page (This link will open in a new windowwww.fb.com/CentreforHealthProtection);
• The CHP YouTube Channel (This link will open in a new windowwww.youtube.com/c/ChpGovHkChannel); and
• The WHO's latest news (This link will open in a new windowwww.who.int/csr/don/archive/disease/coronavirus_infections/en).

Tour leaders and tour guides operating overseas tours are advised to refer to the CHP's health advice on MERS (This link will open in a new windowwww.chp.gov.hk/en/view_content/26551.html).