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Regional situation update, 31 May 2016

Highlights, 31 May

In the month of May 2016, only one laboratory-confirmed case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was reported from Saudi Arabia with no death. After Bahrain, no new country reported MERS cases during the current month. Globally, since April 2012, WHO has been notified of 1789 laboratory-confirmed cases of MERS-CoV, including at least 681 deaths.
After the recent surge in cases reported in March 2016, a steady decline in MERS cases has been reported in Saudi Arabia both during the month of April and May.
No new clusters or hospital outbreaks of MERS were reported during the month of May. The hospital outbreak that was reported during the months of February and March in Buridah city of the Qaseem region is reported to be over.
Compared to 2015, there has not been a substantial increase in the number of reported cases. The age characteristics of the cases reported in 2016 do not show any significant dierence when compared with age characteristics of cases reported from 2012 to 2015 (combined).
The age group of those aged 50–59 years continues to be group at highest risk for acquiring infection as primary cases, while the group at highest risk for acquiring infection as secondary cases is those aged 30–39 years. The majority of deaths among primary and secondary cases have occurred in the age groups of 50–59 and 70–79 years, respectively.

In the month of May 2016, only one laboratory-confirmed case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was reported from Saudi Arabia with no death. After Bahrain, no new country reported MERS cases during the current month. Globally, since April 2012, WHO has been notified of 1789 laboratory-confirmed cases of MERS-CoV, including at least 681 deaths.
After the recent surge in cases reported in March 2016, a steady decline in MERS cases has been reported in Saudi Arabia both during the month of April and May.
No new clusters or hospital outbreaks of MERS were reported during the month of May. The hospital outbreak that was reported during the months of February and March in Buridah city of the Qaseem region is reported to be over.
Compared to 2015, there has not been a substantial increase in the number of reported cases. The age characteristics of the cases reported in 2016 do not show any significant dierence when compared with age characteristics of cases reported from 2012 to 2015 (combined).
The age group of those aged 50–59 years continues to be group at highest risk for acquiring infection as primary cases, while the group at highest risk for acquiring infection as secondary cases is those aged 30–39 years. The majority of deaths among primary and secondary cases have occurred in the age groups of 50–59 and 70–79 years, respectively.