Camels: The Primary Source of MERS Virus

Doctors believe and have found the first evidence that the MERS virus is suspected to be transmitted from camels to humans. According to a BBC report, a study published in the British Medical Journal has found a virus identical to MERS in a camel and its 44-year-old owner from Saudi Arabia, who was hospitalized at King Abdullah University Hospital in Jeddah. The owner had used nasal drops while caring for his camel. An analysis of virus samples from the camel and its owner showed that the disease genes from both were identical. Since its detection in June 2012, 681 MERS virus cases have resulted in 204 deaths. Jonathan Ball, a professor of virology at the University of Nottingham, stated that all evidence points to camels as the culprit, and this might be the first case where the virus was found to be identical. Paul Kellam, a professor from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridge, said that this research clarifies camels as the source of the virus. However, to date, researchers have not found evidence that MERS has spread from human to human. The WHO has also not issued a red alert, unlike for other respiratory diseases such as SARS. Saudi Arabia announced a 50% increase in the number of MERS patients who have died. The MERS virus can cause cough, fever, and pneumonia. The Ministry of Health stated that although the number of cases has increased, the infection rate appears to be slowing, with 353 having recovered and 53 still undergoing treatment. Tariq (Head of the Health Scientific Advisory Council) said, "Although the number of cases has increased from previously published reports, we are seeing a decrease in the number of new cases reported in recent weeks." Source: International Page 24, Republika, Friday, June 6, 2014