A hospital in Bratislava, Slovakia, is observing and testing a man from South Korea who may be positive for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), reported the BBC. Some of his tests were already sent to Prague for analysis and, if positive, this will become the first case of MERS in the region, following the spread of the disease in South Korea.
"He is a 38-year-old man from South Korea who is suffering from diarrhea, fever and lesions on his skin," said Bratislava University Hospital spokesperson Petra Stano Matasovka, according to the Telegraph. The man is currently in stable condition.
Initial results, however, were inconclusive and more tests were required. "There were no positive indications. Out of four indicators, three were negative and one borderline," said Matasovka, according to Yahoo. "According to epidemiological rules, it is necessary to repeat the procedure."
Sources said that the patient in question works as a subcontractor for Kia Motors, a South Korean car maker with a factory located in Zilina, north of Slovakia. He had been booked at a local hotel during his stay.
"The patient was transferred to the university hospital by ambulance, accompanied by the police," said another spokesperson, Peter Bubla, in the Telegraph article. "He has been placed in a special unit, isolated from other patients."
To date, at least 145 cases have been reported in South Korea, while 15 people have died, according to the BBC. The World Health Organization (WHO) is expecting more cases as the outbreak is classified as "large and complex."
MERS in South Korea was suspected to have originated from a local who returned from a business trip to the Middle East. The disease first appeared in Saudi Arabia in 2012.
MERS is brought about by a coronavirus, which falls in the same family as SARS. However, this virus, which spreads faster, is believed to be deadlier, according to the Telegraph.
WHO recently warned the public, especially those in the Middle East, to stop drinking camel urine and milk, in order to prevent the spread of the virus to humans, as previously reported on HNGN.
