MERS-CoV, short for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus, first surfaced in Saudi Arabia in spring 2012.
As of June 8, more than 1,000 cases of MERS have been confirmed in 25 countries, according to the World Health Organization. Two of those cases were in the United States. There have been over 400 deaths worldwide.
I – Word Understanding
coronavirus – a kind of common virus that causes an infection in your nose, sinuses, or upper throat
II – Have Your Say
Here are five things you should know about MERS:
1. MERS act like a cold and attack the respiratory system. It can lead to pneumonia, kidney failure and even diarrhea.
2. Researchers don’t know how MERS spreads.
3. Camels appear to be a link in the MERS chain.
4. It may have a seasonal pattern.
5. There are no treatments and no vaccines.
