Camel flu virus: what is MERS, symptoms, how do you catch it, is it linked to Covid, Qatar World Cup fears explained

Football fans returning to England from the World Cup in Qatar have been advised to watch out for signs of camel flu. But what is MERS and what are the symptoms? Here’s what you need to know.

What is camel flu virus?

Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) - referred to by some as camel virus - is a viral respiratory disease caused by Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS‐CoV) . It was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause diseases ranging from the common cold to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Covid-19.

MERS is a zoonotic virus which means it is transmitted between animals and people. It has been identified and linked to human infections in dromedary camels in several member states in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.

Since the identification of the MERS in 2012, 27 Member States have reported cases of the virus to WHO under the International Health Regulations (2005): Algeria, Austria, Bahrain, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Islamic Republic of Iran, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Tunisia, Türkiye, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, and Yemen.

Human-to-human transmission of MERS is possible, but has occurred predominantly among close contacts and in health care settings. Outside the health care setting, there has been limited human-to-human transmission.

Approximately 80% of human cases have been reported by Saudi Arabia, largely as a result of direct or indirect contact with infected dromedary camels or infected individuals in health care facilities, according to the WHO. Cases identified outside the Middle East are usually individuals who have been infected in the Middle East and then travelled to areas outside the region. A limited number of outbreaks have occurred outside the Middle East to date.

What are the symptoms?

Typical MERS symptoms include:

• fever
• cough
• shortness of breath. 

Pneumonia is also common, but MERS patients may not always develop this condition.  Gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhoea, have also been reported.

Severe illness can cause respiratory failure that requires mechanical ventilation or support in an intensive care unit. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), older people, people with weakened immune systems, and those with chronic diseases such as renal disease, cancer, chronic lung disease, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and diabetes appear to be at greater risk of developing severe disease.

Can MERS be prevented and how is it treated?

There is currently no vaccine or specific treatment for MERS available, but several specific vaccines and treatments are in clinical development. Treatment of MERS patients is supportive and based on the patient’s clinical condition.

Anyone visiting farms, markets, barns, or other places where dromedary camels and other animals are present should practise general hygiene measures as a precaution, including regular hand washing before and after touching animals and avoiding contact with sick animals.