CDC: What You Can Do to Avoid MERS-CoV

On May 2, the first confirmed case of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in the U.S. was reported in Indiana. The individual in question traveled through Chicago to reach his final destination. The CDC is working diligently to minimize the spread of the virus.

MERS-CoV was first reported 2012 in Saudi Arabia and likely developed from an animal source, possibly camels. All reported cases have been linked to the Arabian Peninsula (the case in the U.S. involves an American traveling from Saudi Arabia).

People who have MERS-CoV are likely to develop severe respiratory illness with fever, cough and shortness of breath; however, some infected people had mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. Thirty percent of the people who have developed the virus have died. Most of these people had an underlying medical condition.

MERS-CoV has been shown to spread between people who are in close contact. The illness has also been transmitted from patients to healthcare personnel.

The CDC is not recommending that Americans change their travel plans to avoid MERS-CoV. However, the agency is recommending that people take the following steps to help prevent potentially contracting the virus:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and then throw the tissue away.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. 
• Avoid close contact (kissing, sharing eating utensils, etc.) with ill people. 
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as countertops and doorknobs. 

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