The document summarizes information about the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) from a media briefing held by the Disease Control Division of the Ministry of Health Malaysia on July 5, 2013. It provides an overview of MERS-CoV, including that it is a new strain of coronavirus that has infected 77 people across 8 countries as of June 2013, with a 40% mortality rate. The briefing also outlines Malaysia's preparedness activities to manage and screen for MERS-CoV, such as disseminating information to the public and healthcare community, managing Malaysian hajj/umrah pilgrims, and conducting clinical and laboratory surveillance.

1. Media Briefing:
Middle East Respiratory
Syndrome Coronavirus
(MERS-CoV)
Disease Control Division
Ministry of Health Malaysia
5 July 2013

2. Media & MERS-CoV:
What Is Your Role?
• Keeping the community informed about
MERS-CoV, through sustained engagement
with the Ministry of Health (MOH) Malaysia
• Media’s social obligation to the public in
providing verified information from the
identified MOH sources

3. Overview of MERS-CoV:
• New strain of coronavirus that has not been seen in humans
before
• Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illness in
humans and animals
• SARS-CoV (2003) is distantly related to MERS-CoV
• UNKNOWN:
– Source of infection?
– Mechanism of transmission?
– Widespread of infection?
– Clinical pattern and course of the disease?
• Presenting symptoms: acute, severe respiratory illness
• No specific treatment for the disease and should be based on
the patient’s symptoms
• No vaccine is currently available

4. MERS-CoV Cases and Deaths:
April 2012 – June 2013
Countries Cases (Deaths)
France 2 (1)
Italy 3 (0)
Jordan 2 (2)
Qatar 2 (0)
Saudi Arabia 62 (34)
Tunisia 2 (0)
United Kingdom (UK) 3 (2)
United Arab Emirates (UAE) 1 (1)
TOTAL 77 (40)
WHO does not recommend any travel or trade
restrictions with respect to MERS-CoV

5. Malaysia & MERS-CoV:
The Preparedness Activities
• Dissemination of information to the public and the
healthcare community
• Management of Malaysian hajj / umrah pilgrims
• Screening of travellers and flight crews at the
international points of entry
• Surveillance of respiratory illness i.e. clinical-based
and laboratory based surveillance
• Management of respiratory illness
 Clinical management of the patients
 Laboratory management of the clinical samples

6. “The future of humanity and
microbs likely will unfold as
episodes of a suspense thriller
that could be titled Our Wits
Versus Their Genes”
Dr. Joshua Lederberg
˜ THANK YOU ˜

7. “The future of humanity and
microbs likely will unfold as
episodes of a suspense thriller
that could be titled Our Wits
Versus Their Genes”
Dr. Joshua Lederberg
˜ THANK YOU ˜