The World Health Organization (W.H.O.) issued a warning Monday after a 28-year-old man tested positive for the potentially fatal Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in a city in Abu Dhabi on the border with Oman.
The W.H.O. reports the resident of the city of Al Ain was admitted to the hospital last month and has been under care since.
MERS is a viral respiratory infection that is caused by a coronavirus called Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, commonly shortened to MERS-CoV.
Humans are infected with MERS-CoV from direct or indirect contact with camels. The animals are the natural host and zoonotic source of the MERS-CoV infection.
W.H.O. expects additional cases of MERS-CoV infection will be reported from the Middle East and/or other countries where MERS-CoV is circulating in local camel populations and wants local authorities to remain vigilant against further outbreaks in the wider community.
An Emirati man is pictured with his camels during the Mazayin Dhafra Camel Festival in the desert near the city of Madinat Zayed, some 150 kms west of the capital Abu Dhabi, on January 23, 2022. The festival includes a camel beauty contest. (KARIM SAHIB/AFP via Getty Images)
W.H.O. re-emphasized the importance of strong surveillance by all member states for acute respiratory infections, including MERS-CoV, and to carefully review any unusual patterns.
The United Arab Emirates health ministry has not responded to requests for comments regarding the case, according to Reuters.
MERS-CoV can cause symptoms such as fever, coughing, and shortness of breath, and in severe cases, it can lead to pneumonia. Since 2012, cases of MERS-CoV have been reported in 27 countries, resulting in 2605 cases and 936 associated deaths, according to W.H.O. figures.
The last case recorded was in Saudi Arabia in 2013, as Breitbart News reported.
The UAE, known as a hub for international events, is set to host the U.N. Climate Change Conference in November and December.