Experts said the new coronavirus found in the Middle East supposedly easily transmitted between humans, and is more deadly than SARS.
In the past year, the World Health Organization WHO has recorded at least 60 cases due to a mysterious virus attack, also known as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers) this. A total of 38 victims of whom died, and most of the cases originated in Saudi Arabia. So far, the coronavirus SARS virus does not spread as fast as in 2003, that killed 800 people.
Team of international experts who examined 24 cases mers in eastern Saudi Arabia found that this new coronavirus apparently had similarities with SARS. However, unlike SARS, researchers have not been able to uncover the source of Mers.
Of concern according to a team of experts is not only easy Mers transmitted between humans, but also can be spread in the hospital. It is also the case with SARS.
"For me it is very similar Mers SARS," said Dr. Trish Perl, a senior epidemiologist from Johns Hopkins Medicine, which is part of the research team. The expert team has published its findings in the New England Journal of Medicine online edition.
Perl added that his team could not determine how the virus is spread in every case, whether it is through droplets from sneezing or coughing, or any other indirect pathways. Some patients in the hospital is not adjacent to an infected location, but they can still catch the mysterious virus.
"Under the right conditions, the spread has just exploded," said Perl is emphasized that a team of experts to work with one cluster mers in Saudi Arabia.
Coronavirus infection cases so far continues to grow, and it seems to be a plague in Saudi Arabia. Mers cases have been reported in several countries such as Jordan, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Tunisia. Most cases are found in countries that have no direct relationship with the Middle East region.
Perl said, the clusters studied in Saudi Arabia, some patients it can infect more people. A patient who is undergoing dialysis treatment was found to spread mers to 7 other patients.
Perl and his team also concluded the same symptoms Mers and SARS. The disease begins with fever and cough for several days, before it develops into pneumonia. But it seems more deadly Mers. Because, compared to an average of SARS death only 8 percent, Mers fatality rate can reach up to 65 percent.
Sources Mers still mysterious virus, unlike the case with SARS who traces found in bats before transmitted to humans through the ferret. Mers may be associated with the bat virus, but some experts believe the disease could come from camels or goats. Other hypothesis, the infected bats may contaminate food sources such as palm, which is widely grown and consumed in Saudi Arabia.