The World Health Organization has announced that a 28-year-old man has tested positive for the dreaded Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) at Al Ain city in Abu Dhabi. 

 

The patient was admitted to the hospital last month and a nasopharyngeal swab was collected on 21 June and following the PCR test, the officials confirmed the case, said WHO in its statement.

 

The officials then started monitoring all the 108 people that he was in contact with, but no secondary infections had turned up so far, it added.

 

Since July 2013, when the UAE reported the first case of MERS-CoV, 94 confirmed cases (including this new case) and 12 deaths have been reported. Globally, the total number of confirmed MERS-CoV cases reported to WHO since 2012 is 2,605, including 936 associated deaths.

 

WHO in its statement said it continues to monitor the epidemiological situation and is conducting risk assessments based on the latest available information. 

 

It also re-emphasized the importance of strong surveillance by all member states for acute respiratory infections, including MERS-CoV, and to carefully review any unusual patterns.