Doctors in (the midwestern U.S. state of)) Indiana say a patient hospitalized with the first confirmed U.S. case of the MERS virus could be released soon, but will have to be isolated at home.
The doctors said Monday that no hospital worker or relative who came in contact with the patient tested positive for MERS. But they will be re-tested when the maximum 14-day incubation period ends.
This is the first time doctors have dealt with MERS in the United States. Indiana Health Commissioner William VanNess calls the situation "very scary."
The male patient is a health worker who is employed at a hospital in Saudi Arabia, where MERS was discovered in September 2012.
About 400 people in six Mideast countries have tested positive for Middle East Respiratory Virus. At least 100 have died.
Doctors know little about MERS, but say it is related to the SARS virus, which infected about 8,000 people in 29 countries. Around 800 cases were fatal.
Experts believe the MERS virus may have originated in camels.
The doctors said Monday that no hospital worker or relative who came in contact with the patient tested positive for MERS. But they will be re-tested when the maximum 14-day incubation period ends.
This is the first time doctors have dealt with MERS in the United States. Indiana Health Commissioner William VanNess calls the situation "very scary."
The male patient is a health worker who is employed at a hospital in Saudi Arabia, where MERS was discovered in September 2012.
About 400 people in six Mideast countries have tested positive for Middle East Respiratory Virus. At least 100 have died.
Doctors know little about MERS, but say it is related to the SARS virus, which infected about 8,000 people in 29 countries. Around 800 cases were fatal.
Experts believe the MERS virus may have originated in camels.