I hope my response to this thread was helpful.


The number of reported cases of MERS-CoV continues to rise ( now 632, with 193 deaths ( 30% ), but there is still NO evidence of sustained human-human transmission. World Health Organization neither advises special screening at points of entry, nor travel or trade restrictions.


Despite the media’s claims that MERS-CoV infection was first " discovered " in Saudi Arabia in September 2012, the infection appeared in Jordan some 5 months previously.


Total deaths from SARS-CoV infection ( over 10 years ago ) and MERS-CoV infection ( so far ) are about 1000. In China alone, air pollution may kill that number every day - mainly through effects on lungs. Between 1 in 4 and 1 in 5 of the UK and Filipino population STILL smoke. Polluted air increases susceptibility to infection.


Other chest infections like TB are also far more serious, common - especially in the Philippines - and worrying, with drug resistance an increasing concern.


Nobody is suggesting MERS-CoV should not cause concern. But it’s hard to understand why air pollution, lack of new antibiotics, and no universal flu vaccine command less interest and concern than they surely deserve .


http://www.who.int/csr/don/2014_05_22_mers/en/#