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The Philippines confirms second MERS case

The Philippines on July 6 confirmed the country’s second case of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in a 36 year-old visitor travelling from Dubai.
The Philippines on July 6 confirmed the country’s second case of theMiddle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in a 36 year-old visitortravelling from Dubai.

The patient, who arrived in Manila lastmonth, developed symptoms on July 2 and was then admitted to theResearch Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa city onJuly 4. He has been put in isolation but is getting better, said thePhilippine Health Secretary Janette Garin.

Meanwhile, a person,who was in close contact with the patient, also showed symptoms of thevirus and has been quarantined at the RITM. Some 200 passengers on thesame flight with the patient will be under observation of the PhilippineDepartment of Health.

The first case in the Philippines wasdiscovered in February when a Filipino nurse working in Saudi Arabiacontracted the disease.

MERS was detected for the first time in2012 in Saudi Arabia. Cases have been confirmed in 23 countries in theEurope and Asia. There has been no cure or vaccine that can protectpeople from MERS.

In the Republic of Korea, which is sufferingthe worst outbreak of MERS outside Saudi Arabia, 185 people have beendiagnosed with the disease with 33 fatalities, the government theresaid.-VNA
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