Emerging Infectious Diseases (Jul 2016)

Response to Emergence of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 2013–2014

  • Farida Ismail Al Hosani,
  • Kimberly Pringle,
  • Mariam Al Mulla,
  • Lindsay Kim,
  • Huong T. Pham,
  • Negar N. Alami,
  • Ahmed Khudhair,
  • Aron J. Hall,
  • Bashir Aden,
  • Feda El Saleh,
  • Wafa Al Dhaheri,
  • Zyad Al Bandar,
  • Sudhir Bunga,
  • Kheir Abou Elkheir,
  • Ying Tao,
  • Jennifer C. Hunter,
  • Duc T. Nguyen,
  • Andrew Turner,
  • Krishna Pradeep,
  • Jurgen Sasse,
  • Stefan Weber,
  • Suxiang Tong,
  • Brett L. Whitaker,
  • Lia M. Haynes,
  • Aaron Curns,
  • Susan I. Gerber

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2207.160040
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 22, no. 7
pp. 1162 – 1168

Abstract

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In January 2013, several months after Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was first identified in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, began surveillance for MERS-CoV. We analyzed medical chart and laboratory data collected by the Health Authority–Abu Dhabi during January 2013–May 2014. Using real-time reverse transcription PCR, we tested respiratory tract samples for MERS-CoV and identified 65 case-patients. Of these patients, 23 (35%) were asymptomatic at the time of testing, and 4 (6%) showed positive test results for >3 weeks (1 had severe symptoms and 3 had mild symptoms). We also identified 6 clusters of MERS-CoV cases. This report highlights the potential for virus shedding by mildly ill and asymptomatic case-patients. These findings will be useful for MERS-CoV management and infection prevention strategies.

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