Snapdate MERS-CoV chart update

Just a quick look at some updated Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) detection figures. For 2-days this past week we had zero cases reported, but we still had a number of deaths. On the 27-May alone there were 5 deaths across 3 regions.Weeklies chart.Number of lab-confirmed...

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The MERS week in snapshots...

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MERS-CoV in the Netherlands...a detail analysis of cases

Red arrow indicates where Dutch MERS-CoV case sequences sit.Click on tree to enlargeThis comes from a shiny newly released Eurosurveillance report from Dutch researchers. I've marked up my earlier tree to show where (based on partial 4,000nt fragment) the sequence from the Netherlands...

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First Aid Response Training in Mbarara, Uganda

The incredible need for such a course was immediately apparent to me on my first day in the Accidents and Emergency (A&E) Ward, MRRH�s equivalent of an Emergency Department. It was clear that the majority of patients were being evaluated for traumatic injuries, most from recent encounters with a...

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Updated MERS-CoV full genome tree...

With thanks to @arambaut for some tips, and for tying my home computer up for 2-days running PHYML on the sequences (super-computer it ain't) - this is a slightly more robust tree of the MERS-CoV complete (or near-complete) genome nucleotide sequences published to date. This follows from my previous...

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Updated MERS map moves stars around....

This new version adds a blue star to Iran, as it seems likely there has been some local transmission. That star has been taken away from the USA (it's been a bad boy) since there has now been no sign of local transmission after the overnight retraction of the Illinois man's positive antibody test result.Click...

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MERS-CoV did not just transmit via 2 meetings and a handshake...the retraction [UPDATED with CDC Press Release]

There must be a couple of internally relieved people around the US CDC today. Relieved. Why? Because they have got off their chest something they must have had a growing inkling about for at least a few days now. That being the news result that the Illinois 3rd US case was in fact not infected by MERS-CoV via a handshake and 2 meetings, 1 lasting 40min. So that didn't happen. And the...

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Iran reports 2 MERS-CoV cases: 20th country [UPDATED]

Click on map to enlarge.Head of Communicable Disease Control (CDC) at the Iran Ministry of Health (MOH), Dr. Mohammad Mahdi Reports seem to indicate 2 sisters, one critically ill, have been confirmed as cases and 2 suspected cases, perhaps family members, are being observed/investigated for MERS-CoV.I'll...

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Camels and MERS: links to peer-reviewed scientific literature...[UPDATE #1]

Add captionCamels at the centre, aerosol all around...I thought this might be a useful page for anyone who would like to know just how much data has been generated that supports a link between camels and MERS-CoV, and studies that have shown near identical viral genomes from camels, and the humans in...

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Camels and MERS: links to peer-reviewed scientific literature...[UPDATE #2]

Add captionCamels at the centre, aerosol all around...I thought this might be a useful page for anyone who would like to know just how much data has been generated that supports a link between camels and MERS-CoV, and studies that have shown near identical viral genomes from camels, and the humans in...

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Jeddah changed the MERS-CoV age:sex landscape...

Note. Not every death or case is listed.See bottom-left corner for breakdown.Click on charts to enlarge.I've broken down the age and sex in these charts.As usual, it's mostly about males and older people until we get to the Jeddah outbreak.In the top pair of charts (note the different scale used here...

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MERS-CoV cluster in Al Qunfudhah...

5 cases in 4 days from a city we haven't seen prior MERS-CoV detection in (as far as I can tell) = a cluster.The south western coastal city of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is home to ~200,000 people[1].While the cases have been asymptomatic when reported, the first, a 65-year old male (65M; was...

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