This week, EOM wrote on MERS; the virus that had been mostly dormant in Saudi Arabia until it began to spike in April. On Friday, news of the first case to appear in the United States made nightly news. A patient in Indiana contracted the virus while on a visit to Saudi Arabia and became ill with symptoms when he returned last week.
No reason to be alarmed because the virus is not easily transmissible between humans, offered a physician to nightly news audience. Reassured.
It will be worth paying attention to what steps the CDC is taking to track passengers who traveled on the same planes and bus ride with the ill victim.
This, from today's Washington Post: "“MERS is now in our heartland,” said Anne Schuchat, assistant surgeon general and director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunizations and Respiratory Diseases, during a briefing Friday. But she stressed that the viral disease does not appear to be easily transmittable. “It represents a very low risk to the broader general public.”
And then? Everything above the surface calmly moves as dancers in a water ballet, but under the surface the action is roiling.
"It’s a very active investigation," (Schuchat) said. "This situation is very fluid."
Very active investigation means that the CDC is tracking down every person the Indiana victim may have come into contact with on the long trip home from Saudi Arabia. Interesting. We'll post the latest updates so keep checking back.
No reason to be alarmed because the virus is not easily transmissible between humans, offered a physician to nightly news audience. Reassured.
It will be worth paying attention to what steps the CDC is taking to track passengers who traveled on the same planes and bus ride with the ill victim.
This, from today's Washington Post: "“MERS is now in our heartland,” said Anne Schuchat, assistant surgeon general and director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunizations and Respiratory Diseases, during a briefing Friday. But she stressed that the viral disease does not appear to be easily transmittable. “It represents a very low risk to the broader general public.”
And then? Everything above the surface calmly moves as dancers in a water ballet, but under the surface the action is roiling.
"It’s a very active investigation," (Schuchat) said. "This situation is very fluid."
Very active investigation means that the CDC is tracking down every person the Indiana victim may have come into contact with on the long trip home from Saudi Arabia. Interesting. We'll post the latest updates so keep checking back.
6 comments:
Good place to be: in the heartland.
Along the lines, there's something rotten in the heart of Denmark.
MERS case flew Riyadh-London BA flight 262, then London-Chicago AA flight 99 on April 24. 1/2
Lab specialist at King Fadh Hospital in Jeddah died of MERS today. Not easily transmissible between humans.
Don't kiss your camel or alpaca, and stay away from llamas - they spit.
Keep your eyes on what happens to case numbers this week.
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