Push to keep Hajj free from MERS virus

Health officials in Saudi Arabia have increased infection control measures to avoid an outbreak of the deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in October

Cases  Deaths

Situation as of September 12, 2014

Oct: Two million foreign visitors will congregate in Mecca for annual Hajj pilgrimage

MERS: Belongs to family of coronaviruses that includes SARS and common cold

Sep 2012: Jumped from animals to humans – virus  is active in 35% of camels in Saudi Arabia

KUWAIT 3 1

QATAR 7 4

JORDA 15 5

LEBANON 1 0

EGYPT 1 0

YEMEN 1 1

OMAN 2 2

IRAN 5 2

UAE 73 9

SAUDI ARABIA 729 302

Mecca
Jeddah
Riyadh

--------------
Algeria
France
Germany
Greece
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1

Tunisia
UK
U.S.
Total
3
4
2
858
1
3
0
335

Italy
Malaysia
Netherlands
Philippines
1
1
2
1
0
1
0
0

Sources: MoH, Saudi Arabia; European Centre for Disease Control
Picture: CSIRO