Haj pilgrim may have MERS symptoms

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Haj pilgrim may have MERS symptoms
The Nation

YALA: -- A 62-year-old man in Yala's Betong district, who had just returned from the annual Haj in Saudi Arabia on October 4, had symptoms resembling those of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS).

Betong Health official Wongwit Akarawarothai said the man's illness could also stem from inhaling smog that currently shrouds the region. They will examine this man for MERS and monitor him in hospital for another 14 days.

Thai medical officials were already watching out for MERS among Thais returning from the Haj in this period.

On Tuesday, a 59-year-old woman in Muang Yala back from the Haj was taken to Yala hospital to test for MERS and the result is pending.

Thailand had a confirmed MERS case earlier this year but it was promptly contained and the 75-year-old foreigner recovered and went home. No more infections have been reported since.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Haj-pilgrim-may-have-MERS-symptoms-30270419.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-08