Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV)

Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is a viral respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus (MERS‐ CoV) that was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause diseases ranging from the common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Typical MERS symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Pneumonia is common, but not always present. Gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhoea, have also been reported. Approximately 36% of reported patients with MERS have died. Although in recent outbreak majority of human cases of MERS have been attributed to human-to-human infections, camels are likely to be a major reservoir host for MERSCoV and an animal source of MERS infection in humans. However, the exact role of camels in transmission of the virus and the exact route(s) of transmission are unknown. The virus does not seem to pass easily from person to person unless there is close contact, such as occurs when providing unprotected care to a patient. Till 15 June, 2015 Globally, since September 2012, WHO has been notified of 1289 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including at least 455 related deaths