Scientists in Saudi Arabia believe they may have finally been able to confirm their theory that the MERS virus transmits to humans from camels.
The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus was discovered in a camel owned by a MERS victim according to the Saudi health ministry. DNA testing on the virus is being conducted to see if the virus is the same strain in both the camel and the human victim.
The virus causes pneumonia like symptoms but also produces very rapid and fatal kidney disease. The mortality rate for MERS is over 40 percent.
The virus is similar to the SARS virus that caused a worldwide outbreak in 2002-2003 that killed 775 people.
