Talking Points: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (May 11, 2016)
Talking Points – Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) Coronavirus
Copyright © 2016 – Travel Leaders Group LLC. All rights reserved.
The following Talking Points can be used in conversations with the media and clients when
discussing the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) Coronavirus and travel. (Updated
May 11, 2016)
1. The risk of contracting Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is low and the
overall rates of infection had been slowing in the Arabian Peninsula.
2. The CDC has a longstanding “Alert – Level 2” advisory for travel to areas in the
Arabian Peninsula impacted by MERS – this means that travelers should “practice
enhanced precautions.”
3. We are here to assist our clients; the safety and well-being of our clients is our top
priority.
Below you will find additional information, supporting material, and statistics supporting each
talking point.
1. The risk of contracting Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is low and the
overall rates of infection had been slowing in the Arabian Peninsula.
“Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is an illness caused by a virus (more
specifically, a coronavirus) called Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus
(MERS-CoV),” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
o “MERS affects the respiratory system (lungs and breathing tubes). Most MERS
patients developed severe acute respiratory illness with symptoms of fever,
cough and shortness of breath.”
o “About 3-4 out of every 10 patients reported with MERS have died.”
o “MERS-CoV has spread from ill people to others through close contact, such as
caring for or living with an infected person.”
o “MERS can affect anyone. MERS patients have ranged in age from younger than
1 to 99 years old.”
Globally, as of May 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been notified of
1,728 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including at least 624
related deaths. Since 2012, 27 countries have reported cases of MERS-Cov. The case
fatality rate is approximately 36%.
o Only two (2) cases of MERS had been confirmed in the United States (first in
Indiana, then in Florida). Both cases in 2014 involved individuals who traveled to
the United States from the Arabian Peninsula, were hospitalized in the U.S. and
later discharged.
“Health officials first reported the disease in Saudi Arabia in September 2012. Through
retrospective investigations, health officials later identified that the first known cases of
MERS occurred in Jordan in April 2012,” reports the CDC.
o “So far, all cases of MERS have been linked through travel to or residence in
countries in and near the Arabian Peninsula.”
o “The largest known outbreak of MERS outside the Arabian Peninsula occurred in
the Republic of Korea in 2015. The outbreak was associated with a traveler
returning from the Arabian Peninsula.”
Warnings are in place regarding coming into contact with camels. The WHO has
confirmed that studies have found MERS-CoV antibodies in camels across Africa and
the Middle East.
o The WHO has stated, “Until more is understood about MERS, people with
diabetes, renal failure, chronic lung disease, and immunocompromised persons
are considered to be at high risk of severe disease from MERS‐CoV infection.
Therefore, these people should avoid contact with camels, drinking raw camel
milk or camel urine, or eating meat that has not been properly cooked.”
o Additionally, WHO has posted a general precaution for anyone visiting farms,
markets, barns, or other places where animals are present.
Travelers should practice general hygiene measures, including regular
hand washing before and after touching animals, and avoid contact with
sick animals.
Travelers should also avoid consumption of raw or undercooked animal
products.
More information can be found here.
o Saudi Arabia is warning that people handling camels should wear masks and
gloves to prevent the spread of MERS.
According to Reuters, “Health experts say camels are the most likely
animal source of infection for the disease.”
A coronavirus also was the cause of the severe respiratory illness called SARS (severe
acute respiratory syndrome). SARS caused a global epidemic in 2003, but there has not
been any known case of SARS since 2004. This new coronavirus is not similar to the
coronavirus that caused SARS.
2. The CDC has a longstanding “Alert – Level 2” advisory for travel to areas in the
Arabian Peninsula impacted by MERS – this means that travelers should “practice
enhanced precautions.”
The CDC issued a “Level 2: Alert” for “Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)” in
the Arabian Peninsula. This type of alert is a reminder to “practice enhanced
precautions” for this destination:
o “Cases of MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) have been identified in
multiple countries in the Arabian Peninsula.* There have also been cases in
several other countries in travelers who have been to the Arabian Peninsula and,
in some instances, their close contacts. Two cases were confirmed in May 2014
among two health care workers living in Saudi Arabia who were visiting the
United States. For more information, see CDC’s MERS website.”
“CDC does not recommend that travelers change their plans because of MERS,”
according to the CDC:
o “Most instances of person-to-person spread have occurred in health care
workers and other close contacts (such as family members and caregivers) of
people sick with MERS. If you are concerned about MERS, you should discuss
your travel plans with your doctor.”
The CDC urges travelers to take the necessary precautions to reduce their risk of
contracting the virus involving both good hygiene and avoiding contact with camels.
o Good hygience:
“Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not
available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.”
“Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Germs spread this way.”
“Avoid close contact with sick people.”
“Be sure you are up-to-date with all of your shots, and if possible, see
your healthcare provider at least 4–6 weeks before travel to get any
additional shots.”
o “Avoid contact with camels.”
“Do not drink raw camel milk or raw camel urine.”
“Do not eat undercooked meat, particularly camel meat.”
The CDC recommends that if you are sick, you should:
o “Cover your mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and throw the tissue
in the trash.”
o “Avoid contact with other people to keep from infecting them. This might mean
delaying your travel until you are well.”
o “Call a doctor if you develop a fever and symptoms of lower respiratory illness,
such as cough or shortness of breath, within 14 days after traveling from
countries in or near the Arabian Peninsula. You should tell the doctor about your
recent travel before you go in for an appointment.”
o “Tell people who have been in close contact with you to monitor their health for
14 days after the last time they were around you.”
There is no vaccine for this new coronavirus, but there are shots available to protect
travelers from other illnesses. The CDC recommends travelers are up to date with all of
their shots, and see their healthcare provider prior to traveling to get any additional
shots.
o A vaccine is starting to be developed by researchers, according to WHO’s
Assistant Director-General Dr. Keiji Fukuda, although it’s “probably years away
from fruition.”
o Additional information on health travel is available on the CDC’s Coronavirus and
Travelers’ Health websites.
3. We are here to assist our clients; the safety and well-being of our clients is our top
priority.
We would not send our clients to a particular destination if we believe it to be unsafe.
Should we become aware of an issue for a specific destination, we alert clients who may
be planning to travel there and provide detailed information on the situation so they can
make informed decisions for themselves if they still wish to travel.
We strongly encourage all of our clients, whether they are traveling domestically or
internationally, to purchase travel insurance, particularly right at the same time as travel
has been booked. Travel insurance offers an additional layer of protection for travelers
and can potentially help save a traveler hundreds or thousands of dollars if a medical or
travel emergency occurs.
We are advocates for our clients; and they know that by working with a true travel
professional, we are there for them before, during, and after their trip should they need
us – which gives them peace of mind.
By working with a trusted travel professional, we can provide providing alternative travel
arrangements should the need arise.
Our business is founded on repeat customers. Therefore, we want to be sure everything
goes off without a hitch.