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SARS-CoV-2 MERS-CoV
SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the same large family of
viruses as SARS-CoV, known as coronaviruses, and was
first identified in December 2019 in the Chinese city of
Wuhan. The virus likely originated in bats, like SARS-
CoV, and passed through an intermediate animal
before infecting people. The virus that causes Middle East Respiratory
Syndrome, or MERS, sparked an outbreak in Saudi
Arabia in 2012 and another in South Korea in 2015.
The MERS virus belongs to the same family of viruses
as SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 and likely originated in
bats, as well. The disease infected camels before
passing into humans and triggers fever, coughing and
shortness of breath in infected people.
Since its appearance, the virus has infected tens of
thousands of people in China and thousands of others
worldwide. The ongoing outbreak promoted an
extensive quarantine of Wuhan and nearby cities,
restrictions on travel to and from affected countries
and a worldwide effort to develop diagnostics,
treatments and vaccines.
The disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, called COVID-19,
has an estimated mortality rate of about 2.3%. People
who are older or have underlying health conditions
seem to be most at risk of having severed disease or
complications. Common symptoms include fever, dry
cough and shortness of breath, and the disease can
progress to pneumonia in severe cases.
MERS often progresses to severe pneumonia and has
an estimated mortality rate between 30% and 40%,
making it the most lethal of the known coronaviruses
that jumped from animals to people. As with SARS-
CoV and SARS-CoV-2, MERS has no approved
treatments or vaccine.
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ARTICLE BY RAHUL MEHTA @ BIKERS CLUB MAGAZINE