According to the World Health Organization (WHO), like Covid and seasonal flu, “the usual symptoms of MERS include fever, cough and shortness of breath.” Pneumonia is common, but MERS patients do not always develop this condition. Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as diarrhea, have also been reported in these patients. In addition, “severe forms of the disease may lead to respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit management.” Vincent Enouf, virologist and deputy director of the National Influenza Reference Center (CNR) at the Pasteur Institute, said: “It was identified in 2012 in Saudi Arabia, which is why it was given the name MERS-CoV, for the Middle East. Respiratory Syndrome”, which was attributed to him by the WHO”. Mr. Enuf further explained: “There have been a few imported cases reported, but MERS has always remained very localized, confined to this area of the world.” The WHO has confirmed that since its emergence in 2012, 27 countries have reported cases of MERS, including in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe and the United States. He added: “About 80 percent of human cases have been reported from Saudi Arabia, mostly as a result of direct or indirect contact with infected camels or infected people in health facilities.” According to the agency, a total of 2,500 cases of MERS have been reported since it was identified in 2012, causing 858 deaths. READ MORE: LS Lowry’s Iconic Going to the Match Painting Bought for Record Breaker He noted that by the same token, “the most severe cases of MERS and the deaths it caused involved mostly at-risk individuals with comorbidities.” However, there is currently no vaccine for the camel virus. He added: “Since the discovery of this virus, we know that there are many healthy carriers. A population immunity has probably been built up locally.”
