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Disease groups:
At a glance
- No vaccine available – read more about prevention
- Nationally notifiable disease
About MERS
MERS is a rare but serious respiratory infection caused by a coronavirus called MERS-CoV.
It usually spreads to people from infected camels in the Middle East.
Why it matters to public health
MERS is a serious illness. More than 1 in 3 people diagnosed with MERS die. There is currently no vaccine against MERS.
Almost all people diagnosed with MERS have been linked to the Middle East. The virus has not been detected in people or camels in Australia.
Because of how serious MERS can be, it is considered a listed human disease. This means the Australian Government can use special powers to stop it from entering the country and respond quickly if it’s detected.
MERS-CoV can mutate. If the virus changes so that it can infect people more easily, it might cause localised outbreaks and then possibly a pandemic.
Because of the seriousness of MERS, we:
- monitor and report on MERS in Australia
- provide guidelines and prevention advice reflecting a One Health approach
- plan for how to manage outbreaks and pandemics.
Symptoms
If you’re looking for advice about your own health or treatment options, see healthdirect or speak with a qualified healthcare professional. Our role is to provide public health advice – information and guidance that helps prevent disease, protect communities and improve wellbeing at a population level.
Most people diagnosed with MERS develop pneumonia and severe respiratory illness.
It is thought that some people have no or mild symptoms, and that their infection goes undiagnosed.
Symptoms of MERS can include:
- fever often with chills or shakes
- cough
- shortness of breath
- muscle pain
- diarrhoea
- nausea
- vomiting
- abdominal pain.
Some people may also cough up blood.
Serious complications can include:
- respiratory failure
- septic shock
- multi-organ failure.
Read more about the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of MERS.
healthdirect’s symptom checker can help you decide whether to see a health professional.
Onset of symptoms
Symptoms usually start 6 days after infection, but this can range from 2 to 14 days.
How it spreads
MERS-CoV has been known to infect camels in some parts of the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.
MERS can spread to people through:
- contact with infected dromedary (one-humped) camels or their meat, milk or urine
- close contact with an infected person – such as caring for a sick person without appropriate infection prevention and control measures.
Infectious period
It is not known how long people with MERS are infectious.
Prevention
There is no vaccine against MERS.
For people travelling to the Middle East, the best protection is to:
- avoid contact with camels
- not consume raw camel milk or undercooked camel meat
- avoid close contact with people who are unwell, if possible
- wash your hands regularly, especially after touching camels, camel meat or camel milk.
Read more ways to:
Priority groups and settings
Some people are at greater risk of getting MERS or getting very sick from it.
People at greater risk of severe disease
MERS poses a greater risk of severe illness for people who:
- are older
- are immunocompromised
- have some chronic conditions.
People at greater risk of exposure
People are at risk of being exposed if they are in the Middle East and:
- have contact with camels or their meat, milk or urine
- work in or visit a hospital.
People who have contact with travellers to the Middle East who have had a respiratory illness or fever might also be at higher risk of exposure to MERS.
Diagnosis and treatment
Healthcare professionals can only diagnose MERS through specialised laboratory testing of:
- a swab from the nose or back of the throat (or both)
- fluid from the lungs
- a blood sample.
You can use healthdirect’s directory to find a health service near you.
There is no specific treatment for MERS. Most people with MERS will be cared for in hospital.
Read more about how to manage or treat MERS.
Surveillance and reporting
MERS is a nationally notifiable disease – these are diseases that present a risk to public health.
Health authorities in each state and territory report new laboratory-confirmed cases or probable cases to us daily through the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System.
This is part of our surveillance activities, which can help us monitor case numbers globally and understand disease patterns.
Outbreaks
MERS-CoV has never been detected in Australia.
If somebody suspected or confirmed as having MERS was identified, the public health response would include:
- isolating people with (or suspected of having) MERS
- identifying and monitoring contacts of people with MERS
- educating people about how to protect themselves and others
- working with animal health authorities, if needed.
Read more about how the Australian Government defines and plans for outbreaks.
Support
For information in your state or territory, see:
- Australian Capital Territory
- New South Wales
- Northern Territory
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- Victoria
- Western Australia.
If you need mental health support, see a list of organisations, websites and services that offer support, counselling and information.
For travel advice, see: