Health officials are expected to give an update today on the condition of a health care worker being treated in Munster, Ind. with the first U.S. case of the often fatal Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).
On Sunday, the Community Hospital in Munster said the man remains in isolation in good condition and has been improving. No other cases of MERS have been identified in the United States, officials said.
The briefing is scheduled for 10 a.m. and will include officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Indiana Public Health Department and Community Hospital.
The man, who has not been identified, was diagnosed with the virus after traveling to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and exhibiting symptoms on his return to the United States. He flew from London to O'Hare International Airport on April 24, then took a bus to Indiana.
Health officials said they planned to contact passengers on the plane and the bus, but said the risk of infection was low.
Medical staff members who came into direct contact with the man before he was placed in isolation at Community Hospital were taken off duty and put in temporary home isolation, state health officials said.
They will be allowed back to work after the incubation period ends and their laboratory results are confirmed to be negative for the virus, the state said. MERS symptoms can take up to 14 days to occur, and the virus has no known treatments.
The first confirmed case of MERS in the United States raised fresh concerns about the rapid spread of the disease, which proves fatal in about a third of infections.
For questions about MERS, people can call the Indiana health department's hotline at 877-826-0011, which is being answered daily, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EDT. A voicemail system is available for callers to leave a message during off hours.
The CDC released the following tip to reduce risk of infection:
* Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds, and help young children do the same. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
* Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash.
* Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
* Avoid close contact, such as kissing, sharing cups, or sharing eating utensils, with sick people.
* Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as toys and doorknobs.
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Posted by Unknown on Monday, May 5, 2014 - Rating: 4.5
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