TripZillaRemember the air-borne virus, SARS, that got Asian countries on a frenzy back in 2003?
MERS virus under the microscope
Grab your masks guys! ‘Cos now, its cousin is here and is currently residing in the Middle East. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is a mortally dangerous virus that attacks the lungs. Beware if you are suddenly having ceaseless coughing, breathing difficulties and sky-high fever, you may be the next MERS victim!
Travelling to the Middle East now might not be the best idea as this lethal disease has a 30% death rate. This is equivalent to three out of 10 people losing their lives, making it even deadlier than SARS. If it’s of any consolation, the MERS virus is less transmissible than SARS.
However, the virus has an unfortunately long incubation period of 14 days. This means that if a person is infected with MERS, he or she will not show symptoms for as long as two weeks. People roaming around you may in fact be harbouring the virus without any obvious symptoms.
The rising death toll has made Saudi Arabians wear their mask whenever they’re out
At the moment, the number of reported cases stand at 531 and death cases are at a staggering 173 (and climbing). Of these cases, 169 of them occurred in Saudi Arabia, making it the worst MERS-hit country in Middle East.
The United States has also confirmed their first MERS outbreak case within the country, raising the number of countries with reported cases to 18.
Other affected countries include Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia.
So be extra vigilant when making travel plans and keep a lookout on the latest news update.
