Has Hajj‐associated Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus transmission occurred? The case for effective post‐Hajj surveillance for infection

Reports raise several issues regarding returning pilgrims in Europe and elsewhere, including the importance of high-quality post-Hajj surveillance with rapid reliable testing.

[1]  M. Lal Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) , 2016 .

[2]  R. Charrel,et al.  From the Hajj: it's the flu, idiot , 2013, Clinical Microbiology and Infection.

[3]  Amit Kapoor,et al.  Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus in Bats, Saudi Arabia , 2013, Emerging infectious diseases.

[4]  P. Brouqui,et al.  Hajj pilgrims knowledge about Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, August to September 2013. , 2013, Euro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin.

[5]  R. Booy,et al.  Acute febrile respiratory infection symptoms in Australian Hajjis at risk of exposure to Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus , 2013, The Medical journal of Australia.

[6]  Y. Guan,et al.  Seroepidemiology for MERS coronavirus using microneutralisation and pseudoparticle virus neutralisation assays reveal a high prevalence of antibody in dromedary camels in Egypt, June 2013. , 2013, Euro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin.

[7]  Victor M Corman,et al.  Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus neutralising serum antibodies in dromedary camels: a comparative serological study , 2013, The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

[8]  Z. Memish,et al.  A family cluster of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus infections related to a likely unrecognized asymptomatic or mild case , 2013, International Journal of Infectious Diseases.

[9]  Z. Memish,et al.  Epidemiological, demographic, and clinical characteristics of 47 cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease from Saudi Arabia: a descriptive study , 2013, The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

[10]  Z. Memish,et al.  Prevention of influenza at Hajj: applications for mass gatherings , 2013, Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine.

[11]  R. Charrel,et al.  Lack of nasal carriage of novel corona virus (HCoV‐EMC) in French Hajj pilgrims returning from the Hajj 2012, despite a high rate of respiratory symptoms , 2013, Clinical Microbiology and Infection.

[12]  T. Jefferson,et al.  Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses: systematic review , 2008, BMJ : British Medical Journal.

[13]  R. Booy,et al.  Influenza and meningococcal disease: lessons for travellers and government from 2 epidemic diseases. , 2009, Travel medicine and infectious disease.

[14]  Z. Memish,et al.  Muslim health-care workers and alcohol-based handrubs , 2006, The Lancet.

[15]  U. Emirates b Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV): update , 2014 .