MERS Likely Spread Via Islamic Palliative Healthcare

There seem to be two risk factors for catching MERS-CoV
#1 Contact with Camels
#2 Being a healthcare worker in a Saudi Arabian hospital treating MERS patients

The risks from #1 are obvious, but why does #2 put people at risk? Well as we have discussed previously, Eastern countries handle bodily function "Number 2" differently than Western countries, see MERS-CoV Infection Via Diarrhea &; Eastern Toilet Habits, What You Need To Know.

In that regard, healthcare workers helping their palliative MERS patients fulfill Quranic religious requirements would be at greater risk of MERS transmission. This risk would especially be the case in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where one would expect the utmost dedication to these practices; in the same regard Western healthcare workers with less physical contact would have less opportunity for transmission.


Of course given the religious aspects, it's not the type of  infection vector which will be readily admitted too as some might consider it embarrassing. With that in mind, it is certainly much less embarrassing to blame transmission on an airborne route. However such a misdirection does nothing to solve the problem, even worse it serves to misdirect preventative resources. Rather than take embarrassment, the obvious solution is to increase infection control precautions for increased physical contact with patients.

For a thoughtful explanation of  what Palliative Care for Muslim Patients entails see this PDF
http://www.oncologypractice.com/jso/journal/articles/0306432.pdf
and this link which goes into great detail
http://www.salaam.co.uk/knowledge/hygiene.php

To sum it up:  avoid bathrooms in both Aircraft and Hospital Emergency rooms; and wash your hands with Hibiclens.