First MERS coronavirus case confirmed in Pakistan

Pakistan has reported and successfully treated its first case of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus, health officials confirmed.

A 55-year-old man, who had recently returned from Saudi Arabia, tested positive for the virus, health officials and the World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed on Friday.

The patient, a tailor from Kharian near Gujrat, had been working in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. He arrived in Pakistan on September 3 and was admitted to a private hospital in Jhelum the following day with respiratory and heart issues.

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad, WHO and Saudi health authorities informed them that the man had tested positive for MERS-CoV before leaving Saudi Arabia.

Despite this, Pakistani health officials initially kept the case confidential, even withholding information from medical staff treating the patient.

The patient was transferred to Benazir Bhutto Hospital in Rawalpindi on September 5, where he spent several days in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) before being discharged after successful treatment.

More than 40 people who had come into contact with the patient were tested, all of whom were cleared of the virus.

MERS-CoV, first identified in 2012, is primarily transmitted from dromedary camels to humans. It has been reported in 27 countries, with Saudi Arabia accounting for the majority of the 2,630 cases worldwide.

The virus has a mortality rate of around 36%, but this figure may be inflated due to underreporting of mild cases.

This case has added to global concerns about MERS-CoV, which has shown the potential for human-to-human transmission, particularly in healthcare settings where delays in isolation can allow the virus to spread.

Health officials have emphasised the importance of quick responses to potential cases to prevent international transmission.

MERS symptoms include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, and the virus is particularly dangerous for individuals with underlying health conditions such as diabetes or chronic lung disease.

Early detection remains challenging as the initial symptoms often resemble those of other respiratory infections.