The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced today that the first case of Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome has been confirmed in the United States, in what officials are calling "a rapidly evolving situation."
The CDC is investigating alongside public health authorities in Indiana, where the case emerged.
On a phone call with press, the CDC said the infected person was providing healthcare in Saudi Arabia before traveling to Indiana via Riyadh, London, and Chicago. He or she went to the emergency room on April 28 with shortness of breath, coughing, and fever, and is currently on oxygen in an Indiana hospital but in stable condition.
"We do not yet know how the patient became infected or how many people had close contact with the patient," Dr. Anne Schuchat, the director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases said on the call.
The patient is currently isolated, and there are no other suspected cases. The CDC is working with local public health officials to provide guidance to the patient's close contacts, who may be at risk.
"We want to take this very seriously and not assume that it's a minor issue," said Schuchat, adding that "this represents a very low risk to the broader general public."
The spread of MERS has, in general, been limited to people who have very close contact with infected patients, such as caretakers and healthcare workers. "We should not be surprised if additional cases are identified among healthcare workers who had close contact before the patient was isolated," said Schuchat.
While CDC officials are working to contact people who were on the plane or bus with the patient, they suspect that their risk is low.
The hub of the MERS outbreak is in Saudi Arabia, where there have been hundreds of cases since the virus first emerged in 2012. The number of cases has risen sharply since March 2014.
The CDC is not currently recommending that anyone change their travel plans, though people who have recently traveled to the Arabian Peninsula and their close contacts should pay attention to any symptoms. If you develop fever, cough, and shortness of breath within 14 days of a trip to that region, see a health professional and be sure to mention your recent travel. While nobody is exactly sure how the virus spreads, the CDC also advised that everyone abide by normal protective measures like hand washing and avoiding close contact with sick people.
The CDC called the situation "very fluid," noting that as they learn more, recommendations and guidance may change.
The virus that causes MERS is related to SARS. It's less contagious but more frequently fatal. People who are already sick or who have compromised immune systems are at higher risk. Symptoms begin as a cold and can escalate to pneumonia, organ failure, and death. There is no vaccine and no specific treatment.
"This is another reminder that diseases are just a plane ride away," Schuchat said. "MERS is now in our heartland."
SEE ALSO: What Is MERS?