CIDRAP: WHO raises concerns about MERS-CoV patterns and pace.

CIDRAP: WHO raises concerns about MERS-CoV patterns and pace.HT: Croft.

Via CIDRAP, Lisa Schnirring writes: WHO raises concerns about MERS-CoV patterns and pace. Click through for the full report and important links. Excerpt:

The World Health Organization (WHO) today aired concerns about surging numbers of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) cases and clusters and said that the disease pattern seems to be trending younger and affecting women more often. 

In a separate report, the WHO downgraded two cases from confirmed to probable, which left its official global tally at 130 cases. 

The first report contained a WHO summary of outbreak events and literature review, the agency's first since Aug 13. Since then, 37 new MERS-CoV cases have been reported, 34 from Saudi Arabia and 3 from Qatar. Nine of the infections were sporadic, but the rest were parts of clusters. 

Regarding changes in demographics, the WHO said the median age of sporadic cases has dropped slightly, but a shift in gender is more pronounced and persistent. More than half (56%) of the newer case-patients have been female. This contrasts with earlier cases: Through the middle of July, 83% of the patients were male. 

The geographic focus of the outbreak still leans strongly toward Saudi Arabia. Eight of the nine newest sporadic cases were probably exposed to the virus in that country. Though new cases continue to crop up around pilgrimage sites such as Medina, the WHO said none were reported in pilgrims who visited recently to perform Umrah for Ramadan. 

Recently reported clusters are under close observation for further onward transmission, the WHO said. 

The reasons for the uptick in sporadic cases aren't clear and could be related to increased surveillance, expansion of the virus in the unknown reservoir, seasonal variation, or an exposure pattern change, according to the WHO. 

The WHO report fleshes out connections between many of the new cases. For example, it notes that a 41-year-old nurse from the Philippines didn't have contact with any known confirmed MERS-CoV cases but is thought to have infected two other healthcare workers.