World Class
A 49-year-old man infected with a respiratory virus believed to be more deadly than Sars has died in Britain, officials have revealed.
The Qatari man was being treated for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-nCV) in an intensive care unit at St Thomas’ Hospital in central London.
Hospital officials said that the man, who was 49 when he was admitted, died after his condition deteriorated.
There have now been 77 confirmed cases across nine countries with 41 deaths from the virus, which emerged last year and is similar to those that cause Sars and the common cold.
Three people have now died in the UK as a result of the infection.
Before the latest victim became ill he had travelled to Saudi Arabia where the majority of coronavirus cases have been reported.
The patient, who was suffering from acute respiratory syndrome and renal failure, was then admitted to an intensive care unit in Doha, Qatar, on September 7 last year.
The man, who has not been named by officials, was transferred to the UK by air ambulance on September 11.
A hospital spokeswoman said: 'Guy’s and St Thomas’ can confirm that the patient with severe respiratory illness due to novel coronavirus (MERS-nCV) sadly died on Friday 28 June, after his condition deteriorated despite every effort and full supportive treatment.'
Despite doctors’ efforts to keep him alive, including connecting him to an artificial lung, he died on Friday last week.
This latest death comes after the World Health Organisation (WHO) said in May that Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus - or MERS-CoV - is a 'threat to the entire world'.
In a statement in May the World Health Organization (WHO) said: 'The greatest global concern is about the potential for this new virus to spread.
'This is partly because the virus has already caused severe disease in multiple countries, although in small numbers, and has persisted in the [Middle East] region since 2012.
'Of most concern, however, is the fact that the different clusters seen in multiple countries increasingly support the hypothesis that when there is close contact this novel coronavirus can transmit from person to person.'
Experts raised concerns that the disease is 'emerging faster than our understanding'.
WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan said: 'We understand too little about this virus when viewed against the magnitude of its potential threat.'
Cases have been confirmed in Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Italy, Tunisia and the UK.
British health officials have been advised to be vigilant for severe unexplained respiratory illness in anyone who has recently travelled in the Middle East, as well as any unexplained clusters of such illness.
Coronaviruses cause most common colds but can also cause Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome). In 2003, hundreds of people died after a Sars outbreak in Asia.
A 49-year-old man infected with a respiratory virus believed to be more deadly than Sars has died in Britain, officials have revealed.
The Qatari man was being treated for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-nCV) in an intensive care unit at St Thomas’ Hospital in central London.
Hospital officials said that the man, who was 49 when he was admitted, died after his condition deteriorated.
Deadly: A 49-year-old Qatari man has become the
third person to die in Britain after becoming infected with the deadly
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-nCV), pictured
There have now been 77 confirmed cases across nine countries with 41 deaths from the virus, which emerged last year and is similar to those that cause Sars and the common cold.
Three people have now died in the UK as a result of the infection.
Before the latest victim became ill he had travelled to Saudi Arabia where the majority of coronavirus cases have been reported.
The patient, who was suffering from acute respiratory syndrome and renal failure, was then admitted to an intensive care unit in Doha, Qatar, on September 7 last year.
The man, who has not been named by officials, was transferred to the UK by air ambulance on September 11.
Undergoing treatment: The man was admitted to an
intensive care unit at St Thomas' Hospital in London, pictured, with
acute respiratory syndrome and renal failure in September but died on
June 28
A hospital spokeswoman said: 'Guy’s and St Thomas’ can confirm that the patient with severe respiratory illness due to novel coronavirus (MERS-nCV) sadly died on Friday 28 June, after his condition deteriorated despite every effort and full supportive treatment.'
Despite doctors’ efforts to keep him alive, including connecting him to an artificial lung, he died on Friday last week.
This latest death comes after the World Health Organisation (WHO) said in May that Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus - or MERS-CoV - is a 'threat to the entire world'.
In a statement in May the World Health Organization (WHO) said: 'The greatest global concern is about the potential for this new virus to spread.
'This is partly because the virus has already caused severe disease in multiple countries, although in small numbers, and has persisted in the [Middle East] region since 2012.
Most cases of the disease have been recorded in
Saudi Arabia, which is also expecting millions of Muslin pilgrims to
visit this month during Ramadan
'Of most concern, however, is the fact that the different clusters seen in multiple countries increasingly support the hypothesis that when there is close contact this novel coronavirus can transmit from person to person.'
Experts raised concerns that the disease is 'emerging faster than our understanding'.
WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan said: 'We understand too little about this virus when viewed against the magnitude of its potential threat.'
Cases have been confirmed in Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Italy, Tunisia and the UK.
British health officials have been advised to be vigilant for severe unexplained respiratory illness in anyone who has recently travelled in the Middle East, as well as any unexplained clusters of such illness.
Coronaviruses cause most common colds but can also cause Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome). In 2003, hundreds of people died after a Sars outbreak in Asia.
More deadly than Sars: Previous outbreaks of SARS around the world have caused hundreds of deaths, spreading panic and alarm
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for your comment, keep reading our news and articles