CDC Confirms M.E.R.S. Virus Inside US; 25%+ Mortality Rate!

May 2, 2014 -- (TRN) -- The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has confirmed that a case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) has reached the continental United States, in Indiana.  MERS is spread through the air and has a mortality rate of 25% or more, even with the best hospital care! Health officials say a deadly virus from the Middle East has turned up for the first time in the U.S. An American who works as health care worker in Saudi Arabia is hospitalized in Indiana with the MERS virus. Officials said Friday the man was diagnosed with Middle East respiratory syndrome after returning to the U.S. about a week ago.  “On April 24, the patient traveled by plane from Saudi Arabia to London, then from London to Chicago.,” the CDC said. “The patient then took a bus from Chicago to Indiana. On the 27th, the patient began to experience signs of illness, including shortness of breath and coughing. The patient went to an emergency department on April 28th. Because of the patient’s symptoms and travel history, Indiana public health officials had him tested for MERS.” Saudi Arabia was been the center of an outbreak of MERS, which surfaced two years ago. At least 400 cases have been reported, and more than 100 people have died. The virus has been found in camels, but officials don't know how it is spreading to humans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating the U.S. case to track down anyone he had close contact with recently. The virus has infected people in Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirate, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Britain, Tunisia, Malaysia and the Philippines. There’s no specific treatment, no cure and no vaccine for MERS. The virus can survive on surfaces, and might spread when people touch something contaminated. SARS appears to have spread that way, and many other viruses do, too. CDC and WHO say the virus has spread many times in hospitals, dialysis centers and other healthcare facilities, so they are cautioning health workers to take special precautions. “Infection prevention and control measures are critical to prevent the possible spread of MERS in health care facilities,” WHO says. “Health care workers should be educated, trained and refreshed with skills on infection prevention and control. It is not always possible to identify patients with MERS early because some have mild or unusual symptoms. For this reason, it is important that health-care workers apply standard precautions consistently with all patients – regardless of their diagnosis – in all work practices all the time.” The CDC is not currently recommending that anyone change their travel plans, though people who have recently traveled to the Arabian Peninsula and their close contacts should pay attention to any symptoms. If you develop fever, cough, and shortness of breath within 14 days of a trip to that region, see a health professional and be sure to mention your recent travel. While nobody is exactly sure how the virus spreads, the CDC also advised that everyone abide by normal protective measures like hand washing and avoiding close contact with sick people.