The patient diagnosed with the first U.S. case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome is improving and "doing quite well," according to Alan Kumar, MD, chief medical information officer at Community Hospital in Munster, Ind., where the patient is being treated.
This morning, members of the administration from the hospital, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Indiana State Health Commissioner William VanNess II, MD, and Daniel Feikin, MD, Team Lead – Medical Epidemiologist of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, held a joint press conference at Community Hospital.
The patient confirmed with MERS is currently being treated in isolation at the hospital. "This type of virus requires respiratory and contact isolation: a mask, gloves, gown and eye protection," Dr. Kumar said.
The patient works in a hospital in Saudi Arabia. While he reportedly does not remember working directly with a patient diagnosed with MERS, patients in the Saudi Arabian hospital were confirmed to be infected. He was traveling to the United States to visit family, said Dr. Feikin.
Dr. Kumar said the patient is not on a ventilator and is eating and walking around.
Fifty employees at Community Hospital came in contact with the patient prior to him being put in full isolation. All 50 employees have tested negative for MERS. Dr. Kumar said the incubation period for MERS can be between two and 14 days, and all employees will be re-tested at the end of the incubation time period.
Dr. Kumar said the MERS virus is transmitted from person to person but only with close contact, which may apply to both healthcare workers caring for the infected patients and to family members. "There is no evidence it has gone beyond that in the third or fourth generation in the community," he said, defining close contact as caring for patients, touching them and coming in contact with respiratory droplets.
"We're here together with you until we have this situation under control," said Dr. Feikin.
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