Pakistan's “first MERS-CoV patient” actually suffered from a viral infection: officially

• Muhammad Ameen returned from a Middle Eastern country.
• The patient was discharged after recovery, says MS.
• According to Dr. Tahir, the 55-year-old tested negative for MERS-CoV.

RAWALPINDI: The patient who was allegedly infected with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Rawalpindi was actually suffering from viral infection, Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) medical superintendent Dr. Tahir Rizvi, on Saturday.

Kharian resident Muhammad Ameen had returned from a Middle Eastern country a month ago.

MERS-CoV – not to be confused with COVID-19, commonly known as the coronavirus pandemic – is a viral respiratory disease that was first identified in 2012 and has been reported in 27 countries.

BBH MS Dr. Rizvi said MERS-CoV was not detected in the patient.

“The patient was discharged after recovering and testing negative for MERS-CoV,” the official said.

Due to the suspicion that Ameen had MERS-CoV, at least 40 members of his family were tested for the virus.

The 55-year-old was transferred to BBH in Rawalpindi on September 5, where he remained in the intensive care unit for several days. He was kept in isolation.

MERS-CoV disease has a mortality rate of approximately 36%, although this number may be inflated due to underreporting of mild, undetected cases.

Symptoms of MERS-CoV include fever, cough and difficulty breathing, with some patients developing severe shortness of breath. The mortality rate is particularly high among people with underlying illnesses such as diabetes or chronic lung diseases.

Diagnosis of the infection is usually made through laboratory testing of respiratory samples, but early detection remains challenging due to the nonspecific nature of the initial symptoms, which are often similar to those of other respiratory diseases.

Person-to-person transmission has been linked to delays in recognizing symptoms and implementing isolation measures, highlighting the urgent need for early detection and rapid response to potential cases.

As the world continues to battle respiratory infections, including COVID-19, maintaining awareness of MERS-CoV remains critical. Public health education, hygiene practices and responsible camel handling are key to preventing the spread of this dangerous virus.