As football fans who travelled to Qatar to support the English team at the World Cup return home, health officials want them to be on the lookout for camel flu. The respiratory illness is considered to be deadlier than Covid-19 as it kills a third of people who catch it. The disease was first detected in the Arab peninsula in 2012, according to the World Health Organization.
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Camel flu
Since its discovery 10 years ago, there have been 2,600 cases worldwide of the Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (MERS), also known as camel flu. So far this year, two cases of the flu have been recorded in Qatar which is home to scores of camels.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says the disease can be contracted through close contact with camels. The agency has asked healthcare professionals to ‘be alert’ for signs of the disease as football fans return home. A briefing from the UKHSA as quoted by The sun said:
Clinicians and public health teams should specifically be alert to the possibility of MERS in returning travellers from the World Cup. The risk of infection to UK residents is very low but may be higher in those with exposure to specific risk factors within the region - such as to camels.
Signs to look out for
The WHO recently named MERS as one of the viruses which have the potential to start a pandemic. People who catch this virus typically experience fever, cough and shortness of breath. Gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhoea and vomiting have also been reported among patients, WHO says.
Although pneumonia is another common symptom, not all patients experience it. Also, some people have a higher risk of getting seriously ill from catching this disease.
Older people, people with weakened immune systems, and those with chronic diseases such as renal disease, cancer, chronic lung disease, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and diabetes appear to be at greater risk of developing severe disease.
Sources used:
Daily Mail: Experts warn of World Cup 'camel flu' - which kills up to a THIRD of everyone it strikes - as England fans make their way home from Qatar
The Mirror: Doctors warned over deadly 'camel flu' symptoms as World Cup fans return to England
World Health Organization: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)
