08 July 2015 (00:41 UTC-07 Tango 01)/17 Tir 1394/21 Ramadan 1436/23 Gui-Wie 4713
In Republic of Korea (RoK) there are now 186 confirmed cases and 35 deaths. The majority of people getting sick still involve healthcare workers. However, it’s been determined that the latest case involves the wife of victim who died, and she didn’t show symptoms until 21 days after being exposed bringing into question the 14 day quarantine guideline for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. It should also be noted that RoK health administrators have decided not to declare an end to the outbreak until 28 days have gone by without any new cases.
The number of people considered free of infection now at 119, and the number of people under medical martial law lockdown vary between 811 and 907 (depending on which news report you read, the UN’s WHO says 674). Supposedly the RoK government is now providing financial insurance for the hospitals infected with MERS.
In Thailand, the only case there is now considered cured. The man came from Oman to have medical treatment for a heart condition, but it was discovered he was infected with MERS. Three of his family members were also quarantined, but all are now allowed to return to Oman.
The Philippines reports a second case of MERS-coronavirus. Health administrators say the man arrived from a Middle East country (they refuse to name) and looks as if he’s already getting over the infection. They determined that he was in his 14th day of MERS incubation when they tested him. The BBC says the man was flying to Philippines and had a stop-over in KSA back in the middle of June.
The first MERS victim in Philippines (for 2015) was a nurse who had returned from working in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). In 2014 a nurse returning from United Arab Emirates tested positive for MERS even though she had no symptoms.
KSA is also reporting more cases. As in RoK most of KSA’s new cases are taking place inside hospitals, or within family groups, except for the latest case which involves a man who supposedly had no contact with anybody infected, and came from outside KSA.
The UN’s World Health Organization reports that 487 people have died, globally, since the 2012 discovery of MERS.
Operation Jupiter: Anthrax! FedEx involved!