Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS): a viral respiratory illness first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. It is caused by a coronavirus called MERS-CoV.
Most people who have been confirmed to have the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection developed severe acute respiratory illness. Symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. About 30 percent of these people died.
As of September 2015, there have been two cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome confirmed in the United States, with
no cases in Maryland. The Maryland Department of Health continues to work with health care providers to monitor for possible Middle East Respiratory Syndrome cases.
