Lessons from the SARS chapter which can help us fight MERS-CoV

The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a new emerging zoonotic viral disease and is reminiscent of the SARS virus which claimed many lives. Should you be worried?

The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a new emerging zoonotic viral disease. It reminds us of the year 2002 when the SARS virus emerged in China. If we look back in time and remember the mistakes we made fighting this pandemic, it could probably help us not to make those same mistakes, yet again.

So, where did we go wrong with the SARS virus?

The Chinese authorities failed to report the emergence of the new infectious respiratory disease which was spreading fast in the hospitals and community. It came into light only when a Chinese doctor infected with SARS traveled to Hong Kong and got sick there. He informed the treating doctors of about the new respiratory infectious disease back home. This caused panic and total breakdown of Hospital Infection Control and Public Health system. Nearly half of the deaths reported were healthcare workers. The hospitals with SARS patients, themselves became the source of infection to the community. This triggered the pandemic.

Single 'super spreaders' of the SARS virus had the capacity to infect a disproportionately large number of people. It still isn't known how some people are prone to become 'super spreaders' and not the others. Authorities need to keep a lookout for the same with the MERS-CoV virus too.

Having learnt its lessons, this year, when Chinese scientists discovered previously unknown new Bird Flu Virus H7N9 infecting humans, it was promptly reported, genome sequenced and necessary actions to contain the virus were taken. It is an interesting coincidence that with new SARS virus a new Bird Flu Virus H5N1 had emerged in China in 2002 and now in 2013 with new MERS virus in Middle East, a new strain of Bird Flu H7N9 has emerged in China.

We hope our authorities and researchers take their cues from the fight we already fought a few years back and emerge successful in this new fight against a new virus.