What is MERS-CoV? MERS-CoV is the acronym for Middle East Rheumatic Syndrome Coronavirus, a deadly new coronavirus that causes a roaring disease similar to SARS. Clinical manifestations Fever, shortness of breath, cough, severe difficulty in breathing, kidney failure Contact contagion The virus can be transmitted through close human-to-human contact Diagnosis and treatment The diagnosis can only be confirmed by laboratory tests, and there is no specific treatment or vaccine against it. What can we do to protect ourselves? As in the case of SARS, healthcare facilities are the main focus of prevention and control. For the general population, WHO advises that people with diabetes, kidney failure, chronic lung disease and weakened immune systems are more susceptible to MWS. Such people should avoid close contact with animals, especially camels, when visiting farms, markets or livestock pens where the virus may be endemic. In addition, WHO recommends focusing on personal hygiene and food hygiene. For example, wash your hands immediately before and after contact with animals; avoid touching infected animals and do not touch camel urine; and do not drink raw camel milk or eat uncooked camel meat. Currently, the virus is not highly transmissible from person to person, and can only be transmitted through droplets and body fluids through close contact with the patient.