Explainer: What is Middle East Respiratory Syndrome?

The Accident and Emergency department at Manchester Royal Infirmary has been temporarily shut down following a suspected outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome.

The typical symptoms of Mers include fever, cough and shortness of breath, according to the World Health Organisation.

Around 36% of reported patients who have the virus have died from it.

In the most recent outbreak of Mers, there have been 185 confirmed cases, in South Korea, with 36 deaths.

Mers is most dangerous for older people, people with weakened immune systems, and those with chronic diseases such as cancer, chronic lung disease and diabetes.

What is Mers?

It is a viral respiratory disease caused by a coronavirus (Mers) that was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012. It is from a family of viruses that can cause diseases ranging from the common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars).

What are the symptoms?

Mers symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Pneumonia is common, and diarrhoea has been reported.

Is the virus something we should be worried about?

Around 36% of reported patients with Mers have died. Severe illness can cause respiratory failure that requires life support in an intensive care unit. Some patients have suffered organ failure, especially of the kidneys, or septic shock.

How is it contracted?

Most human cases are thought to have come from human-to-human infections.

Camels are likely to be a major host for Mers and an animal source of Mers infection in humans.

The virus does not seem to pass easily from person to person unless there is close contact.

Where is Mers being contracted?

In 26 countries including Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey, UK, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt, China, Malaysia, Republic of Korea, the Philippines and Thailand, and USA.

Most cases were in Saudi Arabia.

Is there a Mers vaccine?

No vaccine or specific treatment is currently available.