Can the MERS virus be contained in the US?

With three confirmed cases of MERS in the US (Indiana and Florida), and with the possible infection of upwards of 100 other people in two FL hospitals (the 20 hospital staff and approx. 80 waiting room patients), my question is can MERS be contained...or has it already spread beyond containment with new cases showing up within the next week or so.

I would imagine that it's quite difficult to contact, test, and even quarantine those 100 people who may be infected...along with everyone those people have been in close contact with. How many of these people boarded planes, trains, buses, etc. to points across FL and across the nation?

Could MERS be a potentially deadly epidemic in the US? I've got a map of the US on the wall, along with all suspected/confirmed MERS cases. It will be interesting to follow any spread of MERS from Orlando, FL across the nation.

IF events spiral out of control (which I don't suspect will happen). I've got a supply of N95 surgical masks to wear when I'm out and about where a lot of people will be present.

Unfortunately, I work at a hotel, and we get guests from various places around the globe. Hmm...

World experience shows we can stamp these things out IF there is complete cooperation!  The response to the outbreak of SARS in Toronto is a case-in-point, it was textbook perfection.  

Message Removed By Astrologic

In my opinion MERS is H2H and OoC (Human to Human and Out of Control). Based on the Jeddah-cases I understand from Henry Niman that the new form of MERS is different from the form found in camels (bats goats). I understand that not only in KSA MERS is widespread, but signs are that MERS is spreading in Jordan, Indonesia and even in the US. 

I read somewhere that he waited in the ER for four hours and it then took the hospital another 8 hours to determine that he had been in the KSA. With the long plane trips, and time in the hospital he was around a lot of people so we should know in the next 10 days or so what we are up against.

Great point cobber. This is why I believe we shouldn't be too worried just yet. If a decent cluster happens from the FL case that's the time to really get worried. I'm keeping a keen eye on this but I'm not avoiding public places just yet.

MERS could be contained in the US, but I have real doubts if it will ever be contained in the KSA or other developing nation:

3rd case of MERS suspected in Florida

OWWA chief confirms 3rd Pinoy MERS-CoV fatality


This is news from yesterday...MERS is going to spread. Johnray1 is correct these kids (Drs and nurses) have not seen quarantine for real. They have not seen thousands dying and not able to do something. Neither have many of us. We have an image in our heads what it may look like but know...heck no.

It could happen. I am going to look at razor wire and see what I need.

To get a grip on MERS you may have to get a grip on travel to and from the KSA. Since this is the holy land for Islam and the main origine for MERS this is a big problem. An open society like the US or many European countries might put travel restrictions to countries where MERS is becoming a big problem. 

jacksdad wrote: Making sure it doesn't get in is one thing, but infection control in healthcare settings is key and by all accounts the Saudis failed miserably at it. If we can prevent the hospitals becoming ground zero for outbreaks in the community, we can at least slow it's spread in a way that they've not been able to in the KSA. And without camels as a vector, we have an advantage right from the start (hopefully it's not able to move into livestock).

Robes....

It seems to me that they would just about thwart all efforts at disinfection/infection control.  Apart from the efects produced by swirling and flowing robes moving air and droplets about, the (sorry I have no idea how to spell these words) birka and jilbab restrict vision.  If you can't see the mess you can't disinfect/clean it. 

In our own hospital wards I have often wondered about the viral/bacterial load on curtains.  I can not help but notice that most have blood (and worse) stains on them.  Yet they only swish once on opening and closing, whereas material that is worn is in constant movement.  I am aware that some US/UK hospitals ban ties as an infection control measure.  This is so much more total.

CRS,DrPH, I have no doubt that you trained 100s possibly thousands of people in different government agencies and I also have no doubt that you gave high quality training. The problem is that if a true,fast moving and deadly epidemic started in this country,the only people that would get this proper technics used on them will only be the people that you trained. The government will treat the people in their organizations and then go to their shelters of safety,food,water, and guns. That will leave the other 300 hundred million plus Americans to do the best that we can.The government  employees will not help the rest of us,when they all get in a safe place. There may be a few exceptions,but not many. Many government employees have told me that if anything bad happens like the SHTF for what ever reason,to NOT expect any help from the government.----- It is kind of like when everyone thought that H5N1 was going to tear across the nation,government officials of all kinds, stopped the delivery of Tamiflu to Pharmacies and they had cases of it stacked in the offices for them,their familes, and their friends. Wheather you or anyone else believes this is beside the point,it is true.-----I also read last night that some government agency that should not even need guns,have ordered thousands of .40cal sub-machines  with 30 rounds magazines. 40 cal is the cal that DHS has stocked 1.6 Billion rounds for. These people did not order these sub-machine guns to shoot each other with,they ordered them to shoot us with.They have more bullets than they will need or can even use.Sub-machines were designed and made to issue to people so they could spray lead,because they did not know how to aim and shoot accurately.I am sure that you have good intentions and you might even believe that the people that you taught will help other people,but they will not.This information is straight from very high ranking government officials.The government has gotten so big and so entrenched that they are a society of themselves,the rest of us are just here to pay their salaries.                                                                The hospital that is near me runs emergency drills every couple of years. Every one that has been connected to the military or to proper training know that in a mass casualty  situation a dieing man is a dead man. You treat the people that can be saved,first.This hospital staff all know this,but they are all of one certain religious group and they decided that the protocol  for treating mass casualties was a sin,so they basically turned the protocol on its head ,because of religious beliefs. Johnray1

CRS,DrPH,thanks for the reassurance. But I will not be in any line waiting to get food,water,or shelter from any government truck. I looked at site that recommended what preps to have. I have that and much more. I will not be a burden on the people that do need help. I will also watch any government trucks from a long ways off, with Binoculars, before I would venture any where even close to one.I hope that you are correct.I will not be taken to a FEMA camp either. Johnray1

CRS,Dr.PH,we have prepped for a number of reasons. I know that if we get hit by a Nuke,the ones of us who survive will immediately be soldiers again either officially or unofficially. But we decided to prep as if we wake up in the 18th century tomorrow morning due to an EMP either natural or man made.We are ready. The crops are already in the ground to harvest and feed us for a year.We have food to last until then. I know several engineers and they all tell me that our electrical grid is in terrible shape and it could collapse on its own or with very little help about any time. Some of these engineers will be with us. If some disease is creeping across the country killing people,they are pretty hard to hide from.Johnray1