WHO News

Between 10 and 12 August 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 12 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including 1 death. Contact tracing of household and healthcare contacts is ongoing for these cases. View the full article

Between 3 and 9 August 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 17 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including 3 deaths. Contact tracing of household and healthcare contacts is ongoing for these cases. View the full article

On 3 August 2015, WHO was notified by the National IHR Focal Point for Spain of a case of chikungunya infection in the city of Gandia, Valencian Community. This is the first time that an individual with no history of travel to a chikungunya-endemic area tests positive for the disease in Spain. The patient is a 60-year-old man. He developed symptoms on 7 July in France and sought medical care on 8 July while still in France. Following his return to Spain, the patient was hospitalized on 11 July and discharged on 16 July. Patient blood samples were collected on 23 July. On 31 July, he was laboratory confirmed to be positive for chikungunya by identification of IgM in seru…

Between 28 and 29 July 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 2 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection. Contact tracing of household and healthcare contacts is ongoing for these cases. View the full article

Between 16 and 25 July 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 8 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including 1 death. Contact tracing of household and healthcare contacts is ongoing for these cases. View the full article

In Madagascar, 8 new cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) have been confirmed, with dates of onset of paralysis ranging from 22 April to 29 May 2015. These new cases are genetically linked to cVDPV1 isolated from a case with onset on 29 September 2014, which indicates that the circulation of cVDPV 1 first detected in September 2014 continues and is geographically wide-spread. Five of the new cases are from Androy region in the south of the country while the other cases are from Menabe, Anosy and Boeni regions in the centre of Madagascar. The previous case with onset in September occurred in Sofia region, which is situated in the north of the co…

Between 1 and 14 July 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 6 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection. Contact tracing of household and healthcare contacts is ongoing for these cases. View the full article

Between 1 January and 28 June 2015, the Ministry of Public Health of Niger notified WHO of 8,500 suspected cases of meningococcal meningitis, including 573 deaths. This was the largest meningitis outbreak caused by Neisseria meningitides serogroup C in the African meningitis belt. The number of suspected cases increased very rapidly, tripling weekly between 1 and 15 May. Thirteen districts in Niger crossed the epidemic threshold. The five districts of Niamey, Niger’s capital and largest city, reported 5,267 suspected cases and 260 deaths. View the full article

Between 18 and 21 July 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea notified WHO of no additional cases of infection and no new deaths related to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV). To date, a total of 186 MERS-CoV cases, including 36 deaths, have been reported. One of the 186 cases is the case that was confirmed in China and also notified by the National IHR Focal Point of China. View the full article

On 16 July 2015, the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of China notified WHO of 5 additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus, including 3 deaths. Onset dates ranged from 26 May to 18 June 2015. Age of cases ranged from 58 to 77 years with a mean age of 66 years. All 5 cases were male. There were 3 deaths and the remaining 2 cases, at the time of report, were in severe condition. Every case reported exposure to poultry related environment. No clusters were reported. Cases were reported from 4 provinces and municipalities: Anhui (2), Jiangsu (1), Shanghai (1) and Zhejiang (1). View the full article

Between 15 and 17 July 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea notified WHO of no additional cases of infection and no new deaths related to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV). To date, a total of 186 MERS-CoV cases, including 36 deaths, have been reported. One of the 186 cases is the case that was confirmed in China and also notified by the National IHR Focal Point of China. View the full article

On 11 July 2015, the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of China notified WHO of 1 laboratory-confirmed case of human infection with an avian influenza A(H5N6) virus. A 37-year-old female from Shangri-La City, Yunnan Province developed symptoms on 6 July. She was admitted to hospital on 9 July and, despite medical treatment, died on 10 July. On 11 July, a specimen from the patient was tested by Yunnan Provincial CDC and the result was positive for avian influenza A(H5N6). View the full article

Between 11 and 14 July 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea notified WHO of 1 additional death related to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) but no new cases of infection. To date, a total of 186 MERS-CoV cases, including 36 deaths, have been reported. One of the 186 cases is the case that was confirmed in China and also notified by the National IHR Focal Point of China. View the full article

On 18 June 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of Thailand notified WHO of the country’s first confirmed case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) (see DON published on 20 June 2015). The case, a 75-year-old male who travelled from Oman to Thailand, has now been discharged from hospital, having recovered clinically and after repeat laboratory testing showed no evidence of residual infection. A period of 14 days has now also passed for all the individuals who were considered to be contacts of the case, with all those identified showing no sign of infection with MERS CoV.View the full article

Between 8 and 10 July 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea notified WHO of 2 additional deaths but no new cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV). To date, a total of 186 MERS-CoV cases, including 35 deaths, have been reported. One of the 186 cases is the case that was confirmed in China and also notified by the National IHR Focal Point of China. View the full article

On 6 July 2015, the IHR National Focal Point of the Philippines notified WHO of 1 laboratory-confirmed case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). The Philippines Department of Health confirms that a non-national, 36-year-old male who developed symptoms of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) on 30 June 2015 and had a laboratory confirmed positive result for the virus on 4 July 2015 will be discharged from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Manila today. His discharge follows two negative tests, 48 hours apart, which demonstrate that he is no longer infectious. He is now recovering and reported to be well. View the full articl…

On 6 July 2015, the IHR National Focal Point of the Philippines notified WHO of 1 laboratory-confirmed case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection. The case is a 36-year-old male from Finland. Between 10 and 18 June, he travelled to Saudi Arabia and stayed in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. The patient had cough before travelling to Saudi Arabia; however, while in Saudi Arabia, he did not feel unwell and did not seek medical attention. Investigation of history of exposure to known risk factors in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms is ongoing.View the full article

On 6 July 2015, the IHR National Focal Point of the Philippines notified WHO of 1 laboratory-confirmed case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection. The case is a 36-year-old male from Finland. Between 10 and 18 June, he travelled to Saudi Arabia and stayed in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. The patient had cough before travelling to Saudi Arabia; however, while in Saudi Arabia, he did not feel unwell and did not seek medical attention. Investigation of history of exposure to known risk factors in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms is ongoing.View the full article

Between 4 and 7 July 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea notified WHO of 2 additional confirmed case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV). To date, a total of 186 MERS-CoV cases, including 33 deaths, have been reported. One of the 186 cases is the case that was confirmed in China and also notified by the National IHR Focal Point of China. View the full article

Between 1 and 3 July 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea notified WHO of 2 additional confirmed case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV). To date, a total of 184 MERS-CoV cases, including 33 deaths, have been reported. One of the 184 cases is the case that was confirmed in China and also notified by the National IHR Focal Point of China. View the full article

Between 19 and 30 June 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 6 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection. Contact tracing of household and healthcare contacts is ongoing for these cases. View the full article

Between 27 and 30 June 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea notified WHO of 1 additional confirmed case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) alongside 2 additional deaths. To date, a total of 182 MERS-CoV cases, including 33 deaths, have been reported. One of the 182 cases is the case that was confirmed in China and also notified by the National IHR Focal Point of China. View the full article

Between 24 and 26 June 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea notified WHO of 6 additional confirmed cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) alongside 4 additional deaths. To date, a total of 181 MERS-CoV cases, including 31 deaths, have been reported. One of the 181 cases is the case that was confirmed in China and also notified by the National IHR Focal Point of China. View the full article

On 21 June 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the United Arab Emirates notified WHO of 2 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection. Contact tracing of household and healthcare contacts is ongoing for these cases.View the full article

Between 20 and 23 June 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea notified WHO of 9 additional confirmed cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) alongside 3 additional deaths. To date, a total of 175 MERS-CoV cases, including 27 deaths, have been reported. One of the 175 cases is the case that was confirmed in China and also notified by the National IHR Focal Point of China. View the full article