The Karnataka Health Ministry is geared up to tackle any cases of MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), according to the Karnataka Health Minister, U.T. Khader.
Addressing presspersons here on Friday, he said the Union Health Ministry has asked the State Government to take precautions on this disease following an alert by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in this regard.
(According to a WHO website, MERS is a viral respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus (MERS‐CoV) that was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause diseases ranging from the common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)
Khader said steps would be taken to screen passengers coming from West Asian countries at Mangalore and Bangalore international airports. The team of doctors and other staff will carry out this work.
In addition to this, 10 beds in the district hospitals in Mangalore and Bangalore will be earmarked for treating suspected cases of MERS.