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MERS
CoV and the Hajj
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a serious respiratory disease that can be spread from
person-to-person among people who are in close contact. The U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending surveillance and testing
for individuals who have unexplained severe respiratory illness and a history
of travel to countries in the Arabian Peninsula or neighboring countries. These
countries include: Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan,
Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates
(UAE) and Yemen.
The annual Hajj or pilgrimage to
Mecca, Saudi Arabia took place August 19-24, 2018. In previous years,
state and local health departments have seen an increase in patients under
investigation (PUIs) for MERS-CoV two to three weeks following the completion
of Hajj as travelers return to the United States. Health care providers should
routinely ask patients about their travel history, hand evaluate patients for
MERS-CoV infection when relevant clinical features and epidemiologic risk are
both present. Providers should immediately contact their state or local health
department about any patient who meets the criteria for
a PUI.
Additional information for travelers can be obtained from CDC – Travelers’
Health Hajj and Umrah in Saudi Arabia
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