MERS and SARS

MERS belongs to Coronavirus family. Coronavirus are common viruses that most people are infected with at some point in their lives. Human Coronavirus usually cause mild to moderate upper-respiratory tract illness such as common cold.

Normally flu and other diseases spread only within one type of species. However, there are some contagious illnessea such as the MERS and SARS that spread between animals and humans- they are called Zoonotic diseases.

While young children, the elderly or people with weak immunity are vulnerable, anyone who comes into contact with infected live poultry, rodents, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and other domestic and wild animals can fall ill.

It was in Saudi Arabia, the disease originated. Outside Saudi Arabia, Korea was in the midst of a large scale Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak. Scientists believe that the MERS virus jumped from camels to humans in Saudi Arabia six years ago.

For now, there is no vaccine or specific treatment, other than to isolate the patient and address their symptoms.

SARS

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome is a viral respiratory illness caused by a coronavirus called SARS- associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV). SARS was first reported in Asia in February 2003. It is found in two dozen countries in Europe, Asia, North America and South America.

Symptoms of SARS :

WHO defines SARS as : High fever (above 38°C), cough or breathing difficulty and exposures - close contact (having cared for, lived with, or had direct contact with respiratory secretions or body fluids) with a person who is suspect or probable case of SARS.