Blame it on Camel

Introduction

Dromedary camels could be responsible for passing the deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus, which emerged last year, to humans. Antibodies to MERS have been detected in the blood of camels from Oman and the Canary Islands, proving that the virus has been circulating in the animals. This is the first confirmation of MERS infection in a species other than humans. The virus first emerged in the Middle East last year. So far, there have been 46 MERS deaths, all in the Arabian Peninsula. The finding may help develop preventive measures for the infection.

Source

Down To Earth, September 2013