09/18/26 Public Health Education Topic: MERS
Per CDC
Key points
MERS is a viral respiratory illness.
Most MERS cases have been detected in countries in or near the Arabian Peninsula.
MERS represents a very low risk to the general public in the United States.
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is a viral respiratory illness caused by a coronavirus called Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). The virus can spread from camels to people through direct physical contact. Limited human-to-human transmission is possible. MERS has caused severe respiratory disease in most diagnosed cases, and many of those patients died. Typical symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath.
Most MERS cases have been detected in countries in or near the Arabian Peninsula. However, a number of cases linked to travel have been detected in countries outside this region.
Signs and symptoms
Most people with confirmed MERS-CoV infection have had severe respiratory illness. MERS symptoms usually appear 5 or 6 days after a person is exposed. However, symptoms can appear as early as 2 days and up to 14 days after exposure.
Common symptoms of MERS include:
Fever
Cough
Shortness of breath
Some people may also have diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. It is also possible that someone with MERS may have only mild symptoms or no symptoms.
In most known MERS cases, the infected person developed pneumonia. Additional complications such as kidney failure have also occurred. About 3 or 4 out of every 10 people reported with a MERS infection died.
Most of the people who die from MERS had at least one preexisting medical condition. Certain conditions may increase the risk of getting severe complications from MERS. These include:
Diabetes
Cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure
Chronic lung disease
Chronic heart disease
Chronic kidney disease
Cancer
Who is at risk
You may be at increased risk of getting MERS if you:
Recently (in the past 14 days) returned from travel in or near the Arabian Peninsula, and especially if you also:
Worked in or visited a healthcare setting
Had direct physical contact with camels (including touching or grooming)
Had close contact with a person who was sick with fever or respiratory symptoms
Had close contact in the past 14 days with someone who was sick with fever or respiratory symptoms of unknown cause after they had traveled in or near the Arabian Peninsula
Had close contact in the past 14 days with someone who has tested positive for MERS
Prevention
No vaccine exists to protect people against MERS.
For travelers, the World Health Organization recommends:
Washing your hands before and after touching camels.
Avoiding drinking raw camel milk or camel urine or eating meat (including camel meat) that has not been properly cooked.
Avoiding close contact with camels, if you are at higher risk for severe MERS illness.
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