Deadly human MERS virus infects camels

Can Camels give you MERS ?

Scientists have proved for the first time that the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) virus that has killed 71 people can also infect camels, strengthening suspicions the animals may be a source of the human outbreak.

Scientists say this is definitive proof that camels can be infected with MERS-CoV, but based on the current data they cannot conclude whether the humans were infected by the camels or vice versa.

The Pandemic Perfect Storm

With Bird Flu H7N9 smoldering in China and MERS killing people in Saudi Arabia one wonders what the impact of two simultaneous pandemics would be.

 

H7N9 strain has been confirmed in 131 people and has caused 36 deaths since it was first detected. Now we have reports that three patients infected with H7N9 have developed resistance to antiviral drug treatment. According to a new study H7N9 has rapidly developed this resistance to antiviral drug treatment making treatment almost impossible. This has caused great concern among the medical community.

 

Meanwhile in Saudi Arabia it is reported that three more people have died from a new respiratory virus called MERS. The World Health Organization said Saturday that it was informed of 51 confirmed cases of the new virus since September and 30 cases were fatal.

One pandemic would be bad. Two pandemics at the same time could be devastating. 

The Pandemic Perfect Storm.

H7N9