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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (June 23) closely monitoring six additional cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) 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 raw camel products. They should also avoid unnecessary visits to healthcare facilities," a spokesman for the CHP said.
The patients were three men and three women aged from 31 to 51. Three of them worked as healthcare workers in the hospital where a MERS outbreak is currently occurring and had a history of caring for the index case, while another was a household contact of a previously confirmed patient. The remaining two patients' sources of infection are still under investigation.
To date, 1 768 cases have been reported to the WHO, including at least 630 deaths. Of note, 1 554 were confirmed in 10 Middle East countries, with 1 412 in the KSA, 79 in the United Arabs 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 vigilant, 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/Thursday, June 23, 2016
Issued at HKT 11:47
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