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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (June 20) closely monitoring six additional cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), including one death, reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), and again urged the public to pay special attention to safety during travel, taking due consideration of health risks in the places they visit.
"In view of additional MERS cases reported, the public should remain vigilant. Travellers to the Middle East in the upcoming summer vacation should not make any direct contact with camels or consume their raw products. They should also avoid unnecessary visits to healthcare facilities," a spokesman for the CHP said.
The four male and two female patients, aged from 49 to 85, all had underlying illnesses. Among them, four had frequently consumed raw camel milk and three of them had frequent contact with camels.
To date, 1 739 cases have been reported to the WHO, including at least 629 deaths. Of note, 1 525 were confirmed in 10 Middle East countries, with 1 384 in the KSA, 78 in the United Arab Emirates, 28 in Jordan, 15 in Qatar, seven in Oman, six in Iran, four in Kuwait, and one each in Lebanon, Yemen and Bahrain.
"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," the spokesman 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 (www.chp.gov.hk/en/view_content/26511.html);
* MERS statistics in affected areas (www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/distribution_of_mers_cases_en.pdf);
* The MERS page of the DH's Travel Health Service (www.travelhealth.gov.hk/english/popup/popup.html);
* The WHO's latest news (www.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 (www.chp.gov.hk/en/view_content/26551.html).
Ends/Monday, June 20, 2016
Issued at HKT 10:52
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