Beware of ‪MERS!

Are you a returning traveler from the Middle East?
Seek medical attention if you develop a significant acute respiratory illness with fever and cough (severe enough to interfere with usual daily activities) during the two weeks after your return, or getting worse within 1-2 days.
Some facts about MERS:

• MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) is caused by a novel coronavirus called MERS-CoV.
• The main symptoms are fever, cough, and shortness of breath
• People with weakened immune systems, older people, and those with such chronic diseases as diabetes, cancer, and chronic lung disease are at higher risk to develop severe disease.
• Approximately 27% of patients with MERS have died
• The potential reservoirs of the virus are camels
• Transmission is from an infected person to another person in close contact (family members, patients, and health‐care workers)
• So far, no sustained community transmission has been found.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that the following countries have reported cases of MERS:
Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen (Middle East); France, Germany, Greece, Italy, and the United Kingdom (UK) (Europe); Tunisia and Egypt (Africa); Malaysia and the Philippines (Asia); and the United States of America (Americas).

No cases have been confirmed in Indonesia and Indonesian Ministry of Health does not recommend the application of any travel or trade restrictions or entry screening related to MERS‐CoV.
The following recommendations are developed by the Indonesian Ministry of Health, for people who are planning to go to the Middle East:

• Practice healthy lifestyle behaviors, including consuming nutritious food and having enough rest to maintain immunity.
• Wash hands with soap regularly, or if unavailable use alcohol-based hand sanitizers
• Wear face mask when in people crowd 
• People with chronic diseases (diabetes, chronic lung, heart and kidney diseases) should do medical check-up before traveling, and take the medicine regularly 
• Immediately seek medical attention, if you have cough, fever and shortness of breath and getting worse within 1-2 days during your visit,  
• Seek medical attention if you develop a significant acute respiratory illness with fever and cough (severe enough to interfere with usual daily activities) during the two weeks after your return, or getting worse within 1-2 days.