The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has announced a new Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus (Mers-CoV) case in Qatar. The patient is a 25-year-old resident. 
This is the second Mers-CoV case to be confirmed in the country this year. There have been a total of 20 Mers-CoV cases since 2012 and seven of them have died.
The new Mers-CoV patient had complained of fever, cough, cold, and body pains for several days and sought medical advice in a primary healthcare centre. Samples were taken from him and he tested positive for Mers-CoV, according to Hamad Medical Corporation's laboratories.
Despite his stable condition, the patient was admitted to hospital, in practice with the national infection prevention and control protocol for confirmed and suspected Mers-CoV cases to ensure appropriate medical attention. 
However, neither any history of contact with similar cases nor recent travel outside the country by the patient was reported. He was also not suffering from any other diseases. 
Once the case was confirmed, the rapid response team of the Health Protection and Communicable Disease Control Department at the MoPH started a field investigation to identify the possible source of the infection and to verify whether any of the patient's contacts has suspected symptoms.
All traced contacts will be monitored over a period of two weeks while those who develop suspected symptoms will be subjected to laboratory investigation. 
MoPH has also announced that the previous Mers-CoV case, a 62-year-old patient reported last month and admitted to Hamad General Hospital, has recovered and discharged. 
MoPH advises citizens and residents, in particular those with comorbidities (other diseases) or low immunity to abide by cough etiquette and handwashing with soap and water thoroughly and avoid unnecessary contact with sick animals. 
MoPH also has informed that Health Protection &CDC Hotlines 66740948 and 66740951 are accessible 24/7 to respond to any enquiry related to infectious diseases.
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