In 2012, reports about a new viral respiratory illness began to appear in Saudi Arabia. This illness, designated as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV or simply MERS), causes respiratory distress and an alarmingly high number of fatalities within infected populations. It is not related to SARS, which has previously caused significant public health concerns. There are concerns that MERS spread to humans from camels and goats, though there is not sufficient evidence that singles out any singular animal source. Symptoms of MERS include coughing, shortness of breath and wheezing. The symptoms then progress to acute pneumonia and kidney failure, which can be deadly. MERS is diagnosed by a health care provider, based on:
-- travel history-- symptoms-- laboratory tests