This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
MERS still not international health emergency, continued surveillance necessary
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
In its third meeting, the International Health Regulations’ Emergency Committee convened by WHO to make recommendations regarding the Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome, or MERS, coronavirus concluded that MERS is currently not a public health emergency of international concern.
“The bottom line is that the conditions for public health emergency of international concern have not been met, based on the information we have now,” Keiji Fukuda, MD, MPH, WHO assistant director-general, said during a press conference.
Keiji Fukuda
As of Sept. 25, there have been 130 laboratory-confirmed cases of MERS, including 58 deaths, according to WHO. Most cases have been in the Middle East, primarily Saudi Arabia, but there have been cases associated with travel to the Middle East among people in the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Tunisia. However, there have been no cases outside of the Middle Eastern region since July, Fukuda said.
“We are not clear on whether this is the full picture or not because we know that surveillance in many areas and many countries is very limited,” Fukuda said. “We don’t know if we have the full information to understand where the infections occur.”
Fukuda said the committee stressed the importance of continuing surveillance, especially in countries where there will be pilgrims returning from the hajj or umrah, and providing support to countries that are particularly vulnerable, including countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
Committee members also said there is a need to continue strengthening and expanding diagnostic testing methods for the infection and to conduct ongoing investigations to identify the source of the virus and how people are becoming infected. Lastly, there should be timely sharing of relevant information, as required under the International Health Regulations of WHO, and coordinating actions with WHO.
The committee plans to convene again in the end of November to assess the situation after the hajj has been completed.