Disease

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – update

On 3 and 6 May 2014, the IHR National Focal Point of Jordan notified WHO of two additional laboratory-confirmed cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) infections.

In a somewhat belated report, on 15 April 2014, the IHR National Focal Point of Yemen notified WHO of a laboratory confirmed case of MERS-CoV in a 44 year-old male residing in Shibam. The patient was diagnosed as having hepatitis B and is reported to have developed symptoms on 17 March 2014, including fever, productive cough, chills, headache, muscle aches, and shortness of breath. He was admitted to hospital on 22 March 2014 in Hadramoot Governorate, and subsequently transferred on 29 March 2014 to an intensive-care unit of a private hospital in Sanaa. He was intubated, developed renal failure, and died on 31 March 2014.

Ebola - West Africa

The West Africa outbreak of Ebola virus disease appears to be easing, with only a handful of new probable cases in the past 12 days.

Guinea, the hardest-hit country in the region, is now reporting a total of 231 confirmed, probable, or suspected cases since the outbreak began, according to the World Health Organization.

But only seven of those cases have been registered since April 28, the agency said.

Neighboring Liberia has reported a total of 13 cases -- six confirmed, two probable, and five suspected -- but none since the middle of April. Most of the contacts of the cases have completed 21 days of follow-up and have been discharged from surveillance.