WHO Officials Issue Updated Statement on MERS

the Infectious Disease Advisor take:

Collaboration and communication are the keys to prevent further spread of Middle East respiratory syndrome, according to a recently-issued statement on the disease. 

During the recently-held tenth meeting of the World Health Organization's Emergency Committee, convened by the Director-General under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR 2005), the committee reaffirmed their recommendations that all "health care facilities have the capacity, knowledge and training to implement and maintain good practices, especially infection prevention and control measures and early identification of cases."

The Committee recommendations also focused heavily on collaboration between national authorities, epidemiologists and public health officials to "ensure the rapid and timely sharing of information of public health importance, including epidemiological investigations, viral genetic sequence information and findings from research studies."

Panel members also reiterated the importance of both animal and human vaccine trials, and urged that research into therapeutics be ramped up.

"National leadership is essential to ensure a flexible, efficient and well-coordinated whole-of-government response to the challenges posed by MERS," the committee wrote.

To read more about the committee's recommendations, see the story below.