A Turkish man returning from Saudi Arabia after having reportedly contracted the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus there has died from the disease. This is the first reported death due to the MERS virus in Turkey.
The MERS virus is a deadly disease that has been spreading across the Middle East over the past months. The symptoms for this illness include fever, coughing, and other cold symptoms that could escalate to potentially fatal pneumonia. Most of the cases have been reported in Saudi Arabia, with over 800 patients now affected with the virus within the country.
According to a statement released by the Turkish health ministry on Friday, the worker contracted a virus in Saudi Arabia and return to Turkey on October 6 where he was immediately brought to receive treatment at a private health clinic. Sources from that facility say that the man's health had visibly deteriorated, which required him to remain in intensive care. The patient died on October 11, and the Ministry said that the doctors in Ankara confirmed that cause of death was the MERS virus. Health officials have all ready issued an urgent warning to those who may have been in contact with the deceased to undergo immediate health screening.
To date, the World Health Organization has confirmed that there have been more than 300 MERS-related deaths reported out of over 800 confirmed cases in Saudi Arabia alone. Similarly, the European Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that there are 887 confirmed cases of MERS worldwide, with nearly 400 deaths on record.
This life-threatening virus emerged in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and is believed to have originated from camels. Almost all cases of MERS have been within the Arabian Peninsula as well as in Iran, Jordan, and Lebanon. Travel related cases of the MERS virus has led to infections and other parts of the globe.