Sixth Person Dies from New SARS-like Virus

The novel coronavirus, NCoV, that public health authorities began to take note of in September when nine people from Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Qatar became ill with SARS-like respiratory infections, has claimed the life of a man in Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, England. In total, 12 people in the Middle East and Great Britain have been positively identified as being ill with the novel coronavirus, verified by lab testing.

Third Family Member Contracts NCoV in Great Britain

Originally, public health organizations considered the novel coronavirus infections to be a regional issue most likely contracted by humans from animals carrying the virus. On Jan. 26, a man who had traveled to the Middle East and Pakistan began exhibiting symptoms of the illness when he returned home to Great Britain.

When a family member who had not been traveling became ill with the NCoV infection on Feb. 11, medical authorities had their first evidence of human-to-human contact as being a mode of transmission. This second person to become ill in Great Britain was identified as already having had an ongoing chronic health condition and his immune system was suppressed, leading to the conclusion that although the NCoV could be spread by infected humans, it was likely not an effective mode of transmission except in people highly susceptible to any type of infection.

It is this second family member who Monday succumbed to the NCoV illness.

On Feb. 15 it was learned that a third family member, also someone who had not recently traveled, tested positive for the presence of the novel coronavirus infection, reported Sky News.

World Health Organization Issued New Alert

On Feb. 16, the World Health Organization issued an updated alert on the NCoV, stating that although the two cases of apparent person-to-person contact as a mode of transmission is likely, "no sustained person-to-person transmission has been identified."

The WHO encourages all member states to consider testing for NCoV in anyone with unexplained pneumonia or anyone with unexplained severe, chronic or progressive respiratory illnesses not responding to treatment.

No special screenings or travel restrictions have been advised by WHO at this time.

Health Protection Agency, HPA, Issues Update on NCoV

The Health Protection Agency issued an update today explaining it had taken routine United Kingdom national guidance and tested more than 100 people who had been in close contact with any of the three ill family members. Those tests have to date all been negative for the novel coronavirus.

Professor John Watson, head of the respiratory diseases department at HPA, confirmed that the cases of novel coronavirus in three family member was "strong evidence" that person-to-person transmission is possible in some circumstances. Watson added that the risk of NCoV infection from contact with an infected person is low and characterized the overall risk for contracting the infection to the general UK population as being "very low."

Watson explained that the three cases in Great Britain provides researchers an opportunity to better understand the novel coronavirus infection, particularly because one of the three people with the illness is only mildly ill. Learning why the infection is less severe in one person may lead to improved understanding what health and/or physical attributes better guard against severe infection with this virus.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sixth-person-dies-sars-virus-215800251.html

What Is Labor Day jersey shore Pasquale Rotella Michael Clark Duncan michael jackson courtney stodden Ncaa Football Scores