Czech Republic: Suspected case of MERS infection appears

(Baoghean.vn)- On Friday, July 3, Czech Minister of Health Svatopulk Nemecek announced that a tour guide from this country had to be hospitalized in the capital city of Prague because he was suspected of being infected with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus. It is known that this person had been to South Korea last May.

Scientists have yet to find a specific drug to treat MERS, photo from the Internet.

Mr. Svatopulk added that 30 people who were on the bus with the guide were also immediately quarantined. This is not the first time that the Czech Republic has had a suspected case of MERS. Two weeks ago, another Czech was suspected of being infected with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome virus after returning from South Korea. Fortunately, after analysis, doctors ruled out the possibility of the patient being infected with the MERS virus.

The Czech authorities' response is considered quite quick, especially in the case of 30 people dying in South Korea and 184 others infected with MERS since the country discovered the first case of infection in a man returning from Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries on May 20.

Scientists have yet to find a vaccine for the MERS virus. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that the mortality rate of MERS is 35%. Since 2012, Saudi Arabia has been the largest outbreak of MERS with more than 950 people infected and 412 people killed.

Chu Thanh

(according to Le Monde)