Biology and Medicine

Abstract

MERS-CoV: An Epidemic Whirlwind

Ilham Qattan, Aljohani A, Alfarsi M, Aljohani E and Alsubhi M

Corona virus as a Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) considered being a new complicated disease; it infects the epithelial cells in the respiratory and/or intestinal tracts, thus causing disease in epidemic proportions. The situation is exacerbated by either a short incubation period between 2-7 days or between 12-14 days. In September 2012, coronavirus was identified for the first time in a new series of infections, known as MERS-CoV. Since March 2012 and until the end of November 2015, a total of 1655 cases were reported with the number of 577 deaths and 630 recovering from the disease, while 28% of the data were analyzed throughout the world by WHO. The virus has been detected in Arabian Peninsula, European countries such as Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Middle East. However, to the idea that the Hajj season could trigger the transmission of MERSE-CoV in Saudi Arabia remained controversial.