Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is viral respiratory illness first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. It is caused by a coronavirus called MERS-CoV. Most people who have been confirmed to have MERS-CoV infectionhave developed severe acute respiratory illness, fever, cough, and shortness of breath. More than 30% of those infected have died.
The virus was transmitted from camels to humans. It has now infected people all over the world.