Communicable disease threats report, Week 20, 10-16 May 2015

This issue covers the period from 10 to 16 May 2015, including updates on Salmonella Enteritidis and Middle East respiratory syndrome – coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

Salmonella Enteritidis – Riga Cup 2015, Latvia

A multinational outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis affected more than 200 participants of the ice hockey Riga Cup 2015 which took place from 27 March to 27 April 2015. The source of the outbreak has not yet been identified. The Latvian food safety authorities and public health authorities are conducting epidemiological and environmental investigations. Samples collected from the environment and the personnel cafeterias in the arenas where the tournament took place have all been negative. Public health authorities in Finland and Sweden are interviewing cases to identify possible exposures.

Although the Riga Cup tournament has ended, other tournaments are continuing until the end of May at the same venues and as the source(s) of infection has/have still not been identified, the occurrence of new cases is possible. ECDC published a Rapid Risk Assessment and also sent experts to Riga to assist in the Latvian outbreak investigation.

Middle East respiratory syndrome – coronavirus (MERS-CoV)

Since the last update on 23 April 2015, Saudi Arabia has reported 15 additional cases of MERS-CoV infection and three deaths in previously reported cases.

Iran reported one case on 8 May 2015 to the World Health Organization. The patient was a 61-year-old male from Kahnooj city, who developed symptoms on 18 March and was admitted to hospital in Kahnooj city on 26 March. He was discharged from hospital on 27 April.

Since April 2012 and as of 13 May 2015, 1 142 cases of MERS-CoV have been reported by local health authorities worldwide, including 465 deaths.