The British Health Protection Agency warns today:
Update: what the WHO says.
This comes after the death of a man from the same virus in Saudi Arabia. With the Hajj starting in a month from now, the risk of an outbreak is very real and health personnel is being advised how to deal with patients with respiratory illnesses accordingly.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) can confirm the diagnosis of one laboratory confirmed case of severe respiratory illness associated with a new type of coronavirus. The patient, who is from the Middle East and recently arrived in the UK, is receiving intensive care treatment in a London hospital.
In recent months, this new human coronavirus was also identified in a patient with acute respiratory illness in Saudi Arabia, who subsequently died.
Update: what the WHO says.
That truly is alarming news.
ReplyDeleteI have friends who did the Hajj pilgrimage three years ago. They described the immense crowds and people camping on the sides of roads.
It was beastly hot in Saudi Arabia and most of the pilgrimage routes are air conditioned long enclosures. They went with a Hajj deluxe tour with spacious luxurious tent dining rooms...also air conditioned.
All those enclosed air conditioned enclosures could be problematic for the spread of respiratory diseases.