title: Overview of preparedness and response for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Oman.
abstract: Several countries in the Middle East and around 22 countries worldwide have reported cases of human infection with the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). The exceptionally high fatality rate resulting from MERS-CoV infection in conjunction with the paucity of knowledge about this emerging virus has led to major public and international concern. Within the framework of the national acute respiratory illness surveillance, the Ministry of Health in the Sultanate of Oman has announced two confirmed cases of MERS-CoV to date. The aim of this report is to describe the epidemiological aspects of these two cases and to highlight the importance of public health preparedness and response. The absence of secondary cases among contacts of the reported cases can be seen as evidence of the effectiveness of infection prevention and control precautions as an important pillar of the national preparedness and response plan applied in the health care institutions in Oman.
authors.affiliation: Department of Communicable Disease, Ministry of Health, PO Box 393, Oman. Electronic address: dr.idris.oman@gmail.com.
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Al-Abaidani
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health, Royal Hospital, Oman.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Al-Maani
authors.affiliation: Central Public Health Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Oman.
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Al-Kindi
authors.affiliation: Central Public Health Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Oman.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Al-Jardani
authors.affiliation: Department of Communicable Disease, Ministry of Health, PO Box 393, Oman.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Abdel-Hady
authors.affiliation: Department of Communicable Disease, Ministry of Health, PO Box 393, Oman.
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Zayed
authors.affiliation: Department of Communicable Disease, Ministry of Health, PO Box 393, Oman.
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Al-Harthy
authors.affiliation: Department of Infection Prevention and Control, Nizwa General Hospital, Oman.
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Al-Shaqsi
authors.affiliation: Department of Infection Prevention and Control, Nizwa General Hospital, Oman.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Al-Abri
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065207:Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus; D009850:Oman / Q000453:epidemiology; D062486:Public Health Surveillance
keywords: Acute respiratory illnesses; Coronavirus; Infection control; MERS-CoV; Oman; Surveillance