Quarantine Mers virus calls for two fatalities in South Korea

First deaths in Mers epidemic in South Korea

The Mers virus, which has been prevalent for years, especially in the Middle East, also appears again and again in other parts of the world. In South Korea, the first two people have died of the dangerous respiratory disease. In Germany, the virus had already been diagnosed.

Mers virus detected in different regions of the world
The dangerous Mers (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) virus has been present in the past, especially in Middle Eastern countries. But also in other parts of the world the coronavirus was detected. It was reported only a few months ago that the deadly Mers virus had been diagnosed in Germany. It was a patient who had returned from a trip to Abu Dhabi. According to a news agency dpa news agency, two people in the country have died of respiratory disease two weeks after the first confirmed Mers case in South Korea. As the Ministry of Health in Seoul therefore announced on Tuesday, there are also now 25 infected.

Both fatalities had already been injured
Most of the patients are reported to have been linked to a man who was detected after a Bahrain trip on May 20. However, among the most recent cases are two people who have not been infected by direct or indirect contact with the first patient. It is said that the fatalities were a 58-year-old woman and a 71-year-old man. Both persons had already been injured health before the Mers infection.

Pathogen has spread from Saudi Arabia
For the first time, the Mers virus 2012 was detected in Saudi Arabia. Typical symptoms of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome include fever, respiratory problems, pneumonia and kidney failure. The virus is one of the coronaviruses, which also includes the SARS virus, which was killed in an outbreak in 2003, about 800 people. Although Mers is less infectious, but more often leads to death, as is the case with many other infectious diseases. The country most affected by Mers is Saudi Arabia. Over time, the pathogen reached the travelers via numerous other nations.

Precautions when traveling to affected countries
Because researchers have also detected the pathogen in camels, when traveling to affected countries is recommended to avoid animal contacts. Health experts advise to consider basic precautions, such as keeping distance to people with acute respiratory infections. In addition, hygiene measures such as regular hand washing and the abandonment of camel products (in the Middle East) are recommended. (Ad)