H5N1

France: "The state of the second patient is a concern"

Via Liberation, a Google translated report: Coronavirus: the state of the second patient is a concern. Excerpt:

The first patient with the new coronavirus in France, "remains in stable condition," also indicates the University Hospital in a statement. 

The health of the roommate of the first confirmed case of novel coronavirus in France deteriorated Wednesday, Thursday announced the Lille University Hospital where both hospitalized patients. 

"The health of the second patient deteriorated in the last day. He was placed on ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) to take over from his lung function," said the University Hospital in a statement. "His condition has stabilized but remains very worrying" , the statement said. 

The first patient with the new coronavirus in France, a man of 65 years, ECMO since May 8, "remains in stable condition" , also indicates the University Hospital in a statement. "His condition is very serious condition and doctors remain very reserved about his prognosis " , the source said. 

Both patients are still treated in isolation in a vacuum chamber, in the ICU, the statement said. 

"We're coming out of a difficult period" 

However, the risk of further contamination seems now largely contained, said Thursday Pr François Bricaire, chief of infectious diseases at the Hospital de la Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital in Paris. 

The incubation period lasts up to ten days, and all measures were taken to isolate patients and identify their contacts, he has said. "The quality of care and monitoring of contacts can be reassuring even if we remain cautious ", he added, citing the example of an outbreak of cases in Britain, which was "well done": one patient had infected two others without then contagion gets closer and closer.

'MERS' makes its debut in a scientific journal (updated)

Via ScienceInsider, a May 15 report by Martin Enserink: 'MERS' Makes Its Debut in a Scientific Journal. Excerpt:

A group of coronavirus experts has published its proposal to name a new, deadly virus after the Middle East, the region where it originates. 

In a short paper published online today by the Journal of Virology, the Coronavirus Study Group (CSG), along with several other scientists, recommends calling the pathogen Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-Cov). 

As ScienceInsider reported last week, the group, part of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, hopes to end confusion about the name of the virus. It was initially called human coronavirus-EMC in a paper by its discoverer, Egyptian microbiologist Ali M. Zaki, and Ron Fouchier of Erasmus MC in the Netherlands, enlisted by Zaki to help characterize the virus. Since then, a plethora of other names has been used. The paper's authors write: 

After careful consideration and broad consultation, the CSG has decided to call the new coronavirus "Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus" (MERS-CoV). This name is endorsed by the discoverers of the virus and other researchers that pioneered MERS-CoV studies, by the World Health Organization and by the Saudi Ministry of Health. We strongly recommend the use of this name in scientific and other communications. 

Apart from the nine members of the Coronavirus Study Group, the authors include Zaki, Fouchier, Saudi Deputy Minister for Public Health Ziad Memish, Caroline Brown of the World Health Organization's (WHO's) European office in Copenhagen, and Maria Zambon of the U.K. Health Protection Agency, who identified the second known coronavirus case in September. 

Geographical names are often controversial because they can be seen as stigmatizing, but CSG chair Raoul de Groot of Utrecht University in the Netherlands says that the reference to the Middle East was eventually acceptable to all. He hopes that the paper will end the debate. 

"It's good for communication that the field has found a name that is supported by many," De Groot writes in an email to ScienceInsider. "At the moment, there are more important issues with regard to MERS and MERS-CoV to focus on."

Update: Thanks to Jim Wappes of CIDRAP for sending the link to the full abstract.

France: Second nCoV patient deteriorates, placed on ECMO

Mike Coston at Avian Flu Diary has the story: France: 2nd nCoV Patient Deteriorates, Placed On ECMO. Excerpt:

While I’ve yet to find the official release, it is being widely reported this morning that the Centre Hospitalier Regionale et Universitaire de Lille has announced the condition of their second novel coronavirus patient has deteriorated since our last update (see France: Both Coronavirus Patients Remain In `Poor’ Condition) and he has now been placed on ECMO.

Saudi Arabia: MERS patient leaves Al-Ahsa hospital

Via Al Yaum, another problematic Google translation from Arabic: Today - Saudi Arabia - After 15 days of isolation .. Healing «one case of Corona-Ahsa.

One case left the hospital Wednesday afternoon among people living with HIV Corona after a similar nature for healing and recovery from the symptoms of the virus, where he was the citizen Abdullah Al Ben Sheikh «27» years, receiving treatment in one of private hospitals Balhvov. 

The family of Al Bin Sheikh lost household head Mohammed Al bin Sheikh, who died two weeks before his symptoms, the virus that claimed his life, along with the injury of two of his children have received treatment in intensive care in hospitals special, but uniform recovered and left the hospital after intensive treatment as long as two weeks, where Hussein already leave the hospital before leaving his brother Abdullah family Wednesday after suffering with white corona virus. 

was confirmed by the Director of Public Relations and Marketing Hospital Ahsa Hisham body's »Today», that the situation was discovered in the Department of Emergency hospital where she presented for treatment as an emergency, noting that the physician face after medical examinations necessary to refer the patient to the isolation section and began medical team mission immediately in the treatment, which lasted for over 15 days, ended this trip and thankfully مكللة heal the patient, thank God, pointing out it is the only case that has been recorded in the hospital as a case of getting infected with Corona, pointing out that the hospital provides early screening for all reviewers and visitors.

So this sounds like a family cluster, with the father, Mohammed Al Bin Sheikh dying and two sons, Hussein and Abdullah, hospitalized in intensive care. Hussein seems already to have recovered, or at least left the hospital, some time ago; now his brother Abdullah is leaving. But I hope we get more details, in proper English.

WHO: 2 Al-Ahsa health workers among coronavirus patients

Arab News has picked up this Reuters report: WHO: 2 Al-Ahsa health workers among coronavirus patients. Excerpt:

London: Two health workers in Saudi Arabia have become infected with a potentially fatal new SARS-like virus after catching it from patients in their care — the first evidence of such transmission within a hospital, the World Health Organization said. 

The new virus, known as novel coronavirus, or nCoV, is from the same family of viruses as those that cause common colds and the one that caused the deadly outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) that emerged in Asia in 2003. 

“This is the first time health care workers have been diagnosed with (novel coronavirus) infection after exposure to patients,” the Geneva-based UN health agency said in a disease outbreak update late on Wednesday. 

The health workers are a 45-year-old man, who became ill on May 2 and is currently in a critical condition, and a 43-year-old woman with a coexisting health condition, who fell ill on May 8 and is in a stable condition, the WHO said. 

France has also reported a likely case of transmission within a hospital, but this was from one patient to another patient who shared the same room for two days. 

NCoV, like SARS and other similar viruses, can cause coughing, fever and pneumonia. Scientists are on the alert for any sign that nCoV is mutating to become easily transmissible to multiple recipients, like SARS — a scenario that could trigger a pandemic. 

Experts have suggested calling the new virus MERS, for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, but officials have not signed off on that yet.

MERS: More on the infected Saudi health care workers

Via CNN.com: Health care workers sickened by new virus. Excerpt:

Two health care workers in Saudi Arabia were sickened while treating patients with a dangerous new virus, the World Health Organization said Wednesday. 

The health care workers were exposed to patients with the novel coronavirus, or nCoV, the WHO said in a statement Wednesday. 

One is a 45-year-old man who is currently in critical condition after becoming ill May 2, and the second is a 43-year-old woman who became ill on May 8 and is in stable condition. The woman has a co-existing health condition, the organization said. 

"Although health care associated transmission has been observed before with nCoV (in Jordan in April 2012), this is the first time health care workers have been diagnosed with nCoV infection after exposure to patients," according to the WHO. 

"Health care facilities that provide care for patients with suspected nCoV infection should take appropriate measures to decrease the risk of transmission of the virus to other patients and health care workers." 

NCoV was recently found for the first time in humans, and cases have occurred across parts of the Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia. 

As of Wednesday, the organization said it had been informed of 40 laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with nCoV worldwide since last September. Twenty people in six countries -- France, Germany, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom -- have died.

Saudi Arabia: Insurance coverage for coronavirus treatment

It's early Wednesday morning in Saudi Arabia, and we have a new report from Saudi Gazette: Insurance coverage for coronavirus treatment. Excerpt:

DAMMAM – The Ministry of Health has allocated nine advanced labs in addition to the existing ones in view of the coronavirus cases. 

Insurance companies will bear the treatment expenses of patients suffering from coronavirus as per the insurance coverage policies, said Chairman of the Insurance Committee at the Eastern Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry Salah Al-Jabr. 

Saudi Arabia has confirmed six new cases of the SARS-like novel coronavirus in its the Eastern Province. 

It reported four new cases late on Monday and a further two late on Tuesday. One of the new cases has been treated and the patient was released from hospital, while the other new cases were still being treated, the Saudi Press Agency reported. 

On Sunday, Saudi Arabia said it had had a total of 24 confirmed cases since the disease was identified last year, of whom 15 had died.

So the Saudis now have, I presume, 30 cases as of May 15.

WHO: MERS update for May 15

WHO has published Novel coronavirus infection - update for May 15. Excerpt:

The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia has informed WHO of an additional two laboratory-confirmed cases with infection of the novel coronavirus (nCoV). 

The two patients are health care workers who were exposed to patients with confirmed nCoV. The first patient is a 45-year-old man who became ill on 2 May 2013 and is currently in a critical condition. The second patient is a 43-year-old woman with a coexisting health condition, who became ill on 8 May 2013 and is in a stable condition. 

Although health care associated transmission has been observed before with nCoV (in Jordan in April 2012), this is the first time health care workers have been diagnosed with nCoV infection after exposure to patients. Health care facilities that provide care for patients with suspected nCoV infection should take appropriate measures to decrease the risk of transmission of the virus to other patients and health care workers. Health care facilities are reminded of the importance of systematic implementation of infection prevention and control (IPC). 

Since the beginning of May 2013 to date, a total of 21 patients, including nine deaths, have been reported from the outbreak primarily linked to a health care facility in the Eastern part of Saudi Arabia. The government is conducting ongoing investigation into the outbreak. 

From September 2012 to date, WHO has been informed of a global total of 40 laboratory confirmed cases of human infection with nCoV, including 20 deaths from 6 countries (France, Germany, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom). 

Based on the current situation and available information, WHO encourages all Member States to continue their surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and to carefully review any unusual patterns. 

Health care providers are advised to be vigilant among recent travelers returning from areas affected by the virus who develop severe SARI. Specimens from patients’ lower respiratory tracts should be obtained for diagnosis where possible. Clinicians are reminded that nCoV infection should be considered even with atypical signs and symptoms in patients who are significantly immune compromised.

Saudi Arabia: Experts hired as 6 new MERS cases detected

Via Arab News: Experts hired as 6 new coronavirus cases detected. These are the 6 cases reported in the last couple of days—not absolutely new cases. Excerpt:

The government has hired US and Canadian experts to help control the spread of coronavirus as six new suspected cases have been identified in Al-Ahsa, raising the total number of the infected cases in the Kingdom to 26 since September. 

Fifteen victims have died since the outbreak of the deadly disease. Nine deaths occurred in Al-Ahsa. 

Dr. Ziad Al-Memish, undersecretary at the Ministry of Health, said that all six suspected cases were from the Eastern Province. 

He said that one of the six patients has already been discharged from the hospital while the remaining five are kept under observation. 

Al-Memish said the foreign specialists are working in coordination with the National Committee of Infectious Diseases. 

The committee, headed by Al-Memish, is composed of consultants from the local universities and various health agencies across the Kingdom. It is tasked to make scientific recommendations about the disease. 

Disease experts suggested that the new virus be called Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

Branswell: Canada's national lab has new sample of coronavirus

Via the Winnipeg Free Press, Helen Branswell of The Canadian Press writes: Canada's national lab has new sample of coronavirus, planning studies. Excerpt:

Canada's National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg has a sample of the new coronavirus that is causing infections in a number of countries, most notably Saudi Arabia. 

Scientific director Dr. Frank Plummer says the lab obtained the virus from the Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. 

The Dutch lab was the one that first identified the new virus last June in a sample from a Saudi man who had died of a mysterious illness. 

Plummer says the coronavirus arrived at the Winnipeg facility on May 4. 

He says the lab is growing up stocks of the virus and will use it to assess diagnostic tests being used in Canada. 

As well Winnipeg scientists plan to do some work to see which animal species can be infected with the new virus. 

That research will be done in conjunction with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's national lab, the National Centre for Foreign Animal Diseases. The animal lab is housed in the same complex as the National Microbiology Laboratory.