Deadly coronavirus with higher death rate than Covid-19 kills two

13 September 2023 , 13:31

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Two men have died in the last year after contracting the coronavirus more deadly than Covid-19 (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Two men died after contracting a deadly type of coronavirus which has a higher mortality rate than Covid-19. The Ministry of Health of KSA reported that two men died out of three reported cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS), all diagnosed within the last year.

The unnamed men, aged 42 and 85, were diagnosed with the disease in Saudi Arabia in November 2022 and January 2023, respectively, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported. Local health officials said another man, aged 83, tested positive for the dangerous condition in December 2022, but survived.

The three men all presented with symptoms that included fever, cough, and shortness of breath. MERS is usually passed on through infected animals, such as dromedary camels - which is why the deadly virus is sometimes referred to as 'camel flu'.

MERS is commonly known as 'camel flu' as it's passed on through infected animals (Bloomberg via Getty Images)

However, only two of the three men had reported a history of contact with the animals. But all three had consumed raw camel milk in the two weeks before their symptoms started, according to the Express.

MERS, a zoonotic disease, kills approximately 35 percent of those infected with it. MERS was first identified in Jordan in 2012 and has since caused 2,605 infections and 936 deaths.

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While the majority of cases are reported in the Arabian Peninsula, some have been discovered elsewhere, including the UK. The zoonotic disease is part of the coronavirus family that can cause health problems, ranging from the common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

Symptoms start off appearing flu-like, before developing into pneumonia and kidney failure in some patients. It then spreads to those in close contact, such as relatives and hospital workers.

MERS seems to be more deadly but less transmissible than COVID-19. And now, the WHO is predicting more cases of MERS to come.

In its statement, it said: "WHO expects that additional cases of MERS-CoV infection will be reported from the Middle East and/or other countries where MERS-CoV is circulating in dromedaries, and that cases will continue to be exported to other countries by individuals who were exposed to the virus through contact with dromedaries or their products.”

The NHS recommends all travellers going to the Middle East regularly wash their hands with soap and water, especially after visiting farms, barns or market areas. Travellers should also avoid drinking raw camel milk, camel urine, or eating meat that has not been thoroughly cooked, the WHO added.

Diana Buntajova