STORY HIGHLIGHTS <\/p>\n
(CNN) -- Two health care workers went to the emergency room with flu-like symptoms after coming into contact with a patient confirmed to have Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, or MERS, officials said Tuesday. <\/p>\n
The Florida patient represents the second confirmed case of MERS brought into the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday. MERS is a mysterious virus that can be fatal, and was first found in the Arabian Peninsula in 2012. <\/p>\n
One health care worker in Orlando began showing symptoms 72 hours after exposure to the MERS patient but did not meet criteria for admission and was sent home, said Dr. Antonio Crespo, an infectious disease specialist at Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, where the MERS patient is being treated. The health care worker will be monitored and seems to be improving, Crespo said. <\/p>\n
The other one, whose symptoms began 24 hours after exposure, was admitted to the same hospital, officials said Tuesday at a press conference. <\/p>\n
\"We're just waiting for the results from the testing that was done yesterday to decide about discharge,\" Crespo said. <\/p>\n
At-risk workers at home <\/p>\n
The two health care workers are among 20 in the Orlando area who may have been exposed to the MERS patient, and they are being tested for the virus, officials said. They were all notified and told to stay home and not work for 14 days, Crespo said. They also should monitor their temperatures and check for possible symptoms such as a cough, sore throat and fever. <\/p>\n
Five health team members who may be at risk have been identified at Orlando Regional Medical Center and 15 at Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, Crespo said. <\/p>\n
They were all evaluated for signs and symptoms that would be consistent for MERS. Samples were sent to the state lab for testing, said Dr. Ken Michaels, medical director for occupational health at Orlando Health. <\/p>\n
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