The World Health Organisation or WHO is now alarmed by a new lethal respiratory viral infection spreading across the Middle East which already killed at least 30 people as cure remains unavailable.

On September 2012, 53 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with the new virus named as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome or MERS-CoV had killed 30 infected people. Infection people of the said disease had a direct or indirect connection to the Middle East.

Health agencies around the world are alarmed with the growing number of infected people due to the virus' ability to spread very quickly. Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that they haven't confirmed how such virus is being transmitted to humans.

"We are assuming that they are being exposed inadvertently to an infected animal. The characteristics are that it doesn't spread well at all from person to person, so it doesn't have what's called sustained transmissibility from you to me, from me to my family, etcetera," said Dr. Fauci, quoted by VOAnews.

New Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Global Threat

As of now, the number of cases are relatively low and Dr. Fauci is concerned on the growing capability of the deadly virus which may lead to unexpected mutation. If the situation gets out of hand, the MERS-CoV could spread quickly to direct human contact and may cause a global outbreak.

This virus has been found in countries located in the Middle East such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Qatar. Some cases have also been reported from European countries such as Italy, France and Germany after their citizens visited Middle East and returned home with respiratory symptoms.

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome - Coronavirus

Early reports compared MERS-CoV to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS and referred to as the Saudi Arabia's SARS. Symptoms include fever, cough, expectoration and shortness breath within 7 days after exposure.

The virus has shown effective evasion against innate immune response of the human body and possesses the most unique respiratory viruses' asset - targeting ciliated cells. Severe symptoms of the MERS-CoV are renal failure, severe acute pneumonia and fatality.

Transmission of MERS-CoV

WHO stated "the risk of sustained person-to-person transmission appears to be very low" on February 13, 2013. But in May 29, 2013, the organisation warns that the MERS-CoV is now a threat to the entire world.

Even though the virus hasn't spread directly from person to person, Dr. Fauci fears the possible mutation which could lead to a strain capable of transmission via direct contact to the infected person.

Prevention and Cure

SARS research is the most reliable pool of information which anyone may use to prevent contracting the disease. Researchers are already looking into a possible rconnection between MERS-CoV and SARS to develop a vaccine against the new killer virus. As of the present time, no cure or vaccine has been confirmed to neutralise the infection.