MERS or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome is a disease of the respiratory tract caused by corona virus. The origin of the corona virus is not yet known for certain, but experts suspect that the virus is most likely derived from a camel living in Saudi Arabia and beyond.
MERS is indeed infectious, but transmission is not as easy as the common cold. The virus causes MERS generally spreads through direct contact, for example on the people who care for sufferers of MERS without applying prevention transmission against yourself.
The symptoms of the MERS
- Fever.
- Cough-cough.
- Short of breath.
- Digestive disorders, such as diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.
In addition, signs of pneumonia are also often found on examination of people with MERS.
Since the earliest stages of the disease has resemblance to symptoms of flu, including a difficult disease MERS is detected. You should be more alert by immediately checked myself if it ever happened.
MERS with high severity levels trigger potentially failing organs, especially kidneys, shock and sepsis (toxic substances the virus took part in the circulation of blood throughout the body that trigger reactions of swelling of the entire organ). Therefore, patients who experience it requires the handling of an emergency at the hospital.
Risk factors of MERS
The experts also argue that there are some factors that can increase the risk of someone suspected to be infected with MERS. Those factors are:
- Age. The elderly are more susceptible to this disease affected.
- The immune system decline, for example, in people with HIV.
- Chronic diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, or lung disease.
- Never pay a visit to Saudi Arabia. People who are already infected with the virus of Corona may not experience any symptoms. Therefore, do an examination of MERS early just in case. If you have a fever and symptoms of MERS in two weeks after traveling to the country, immediately checking yourself to your doctor.
- Often being around people with. For example for treating people with the medical officer at the hospital or family who live with people with the same House.
Treatment and prevention of MERS
Up to now, there has been no special treatment methods that can be used to solve MERS. A vaccine for this disease also is not yet available. Handling steps of doctors will be made based on the symptoms experienced by people with as well as the condition of his health.
Therefore, prevention is highly recommended. To cope with transmission of MERS, there are some prevention methods you can do. These steps include:
- Regular hand washing with SOAP and water, for at least 20 seconds. Especially before eating or touching the face.
- Clean and disinfect the surfaces or objects that are frequently touched many people as often as possible. For example, the handle of the door or the phone.
- Close the nose or mouth when sneezing or coughing with paper towels and dispose of the tissue directly into the trash.
- Do not wear the equipment already used a patient, such as a plate, a spoon, or a towel.