The Supreme Council of Health (SCH) has announced that a new "Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus (MERS-CoV) case has been reported for a Qatari patient aged 69 years old who also had a history of chronic illnesses.

The patient has had fever for a few days then he developed sore throat and cough where he has been referred to Hamad General Hospital. Upon assessment and laboratory investigations, the patient was diagnosed with pneumonia and subsequently confirmed as a MERS-CoV case in the national reference laboratory . He is currently admitted in ICU in critical condition.

The Rapid Response Team of the SCH conducted an epidemiological investigation including line listing of all close contacts to the case and initiate screening . Health education about appropriate preventive measures was given to the contacts along with close follow-up for any symptoms.

The SCH urges all community members to implement all the recommended infection prevention and control measures. As a general precaution, anyone visiting farms, markets, barns, or other places where animals are present should practice general hygiene measures, including regular hand washing before and after touching animals, and avoid contact with sick animals. People with diabetes, renal failure, chronic lung disease, and immunocompromised persons are considered to be at high risk of severe disease from MERS-CoV infection.

Therefore, these people should avoid contact with camels, drinking raw camel milk or eating meat that has not been properly cooked.

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