19/02/2013

First UK Fatality Of New Sars-Like Virus

A man has died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham (QEHB) from a new form of a Sars-like respiratory illness.

The patient is the first to die in the UK from the new virus. He was the fourth person and the third in one family to be identified with a respiratory illness caused by a Sars-like coronavirus.

"The patient was already an outpatient at QEHB, undergoing treatment for a long-term, complex unrelated health condition,” a statement from the hospital said.

“The patient was immuno-compromised and is believed to have contracted the virus from a relative who is being treated for the condition in a Manchester hospital."

The hospital was working closely with the Health Protection Agency (HPA), which is following up other household members and contacts of this case.

The first person in the UK to be confirmed with the disease was a 49-year-old Qatari man who was flown from Doha to London in September and is still in hospital.

There have been 12 confirmed cases worldwide. Three people in Saudi Arabia and two in Jordan have also died.


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