MERS Virus, Outbreak & Update: Everything You Need to Know About the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome

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The total count of people diagnosed with the deadly respiratory illness has climbed to 41, while a fourth patient recently passed away due to the disease.

The fourth and latest death was identified to be that of an 82-year-old man who was originally believed to have asthma and pneumonia. He was placed in quarantine, while other ward patients were tested for the virus. He died in the same hospital, according to SMH.

The MERS outbreak continues to spread in South Korea as it brings the latest tally of confirmed cases to 41 and the quarantined patients to more than 1,600 people.

The first case of MERS virus infection in the country began on May 20. It came from a man who had returned from an overseas travel to Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, according to CNN. Because of this, South Korea is currently suffering from the largest MERS outbreak outside the Arabian Peninsula.

1. What is MERS?

The acronym stands for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, a respiratory illness caused by a coronavirus of the same name, according to CDC.

2. Why is the disease referencing the Middle East?

The first case of MERS was discovered in the Middle East, specifically in Saudi Arabia in 2012.

3. What causes it?

MERS is caused by a coronavirus, which is considered to be a close cousin of the virus that caused the deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in Hong Kong in the early 2000.

4. What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of MERS include fever, shortness of breath and cough. In some cases, pneumonia and diarrhea are also present, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

5. How is it spread?

MERS is less contagious than SARS but more deadly. It has a mortality rate of more than 30 percent in known cases. According to the NY Times, MERS does not spread easily unlike flu or measles. The spread is notably more apparent among family members or in hospitals, suggesting that a larger amount of virus needs to be inhaled before one gets infected.

6. Is there a vaccine or a cure?

No, there is currently no vaccine or cure. According to WHO, patients are only given supportive treatment in hospitals to relieve symptoms based on their conditions.

7. How is MERS prevented?

The CDC advises proper hand washing with soap and water; if none are available, it is best to use alcohol-based hand sanitizer. It is also imperative to cover the nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing, and to avoid personal contact with people who are suspected to be ill with the disease.