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Illinois Resident Tests Positive For MERS

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Middle East Respiratory Syndrome

ILLINOIS (FoxNews, May 17, 2014)- An Illinois resident who had close contact with an Indiana MERS patient has tested positive for the rare virus from the Middle East, health officials say.

Health officials had been monitoring the unidentified resident’s health since May 3 as part of an investigation following the confirmation of the virus in a man who traveled through Illinois to Indiana.

The man had traveled from Saudi Arabia and was admitted to an Indiana hospital on April 28, where he was confirmed to have Middle East Respiratory Syndrome.

CDC officials say the Illinois resident’s test results show apparent past MERS-CoV infection, suggesting that the virus was likely passed from the Indiana patient.

The resident is reported to be feeling well and did not seek medical care.