Healthcare officials are warning doctors to watch for the “camel flu” as the World Cup attendees come back from Qatar.. Soccer ball .The Australian Health Ministry (AHM) told doctors to “be aware of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS),” which is a “rare, but severe respiratory illness.” .The United Kingdom (UK) Health Security Agency told doctors to “be on the lookout for patients suffering from fever and breathing difficulties.” .“The risk of infections 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,” said the UK government statement..There are two reported cases of MERS in Qatar..MERS is the virus that causes camel flu and there have only been about 2,600 reported cases worldwide. .The major symptoms of MERS are fever, breathing difficulty, diarrhea, and coughing..There is no vaccine for MERS, however, it is rarely found in humans..MERS has a 35% fatality rate according to the World Health Organization..In 2012, Saudi Arabia reported the first case of MERS in humans. Since then, it's appeared in about a dozen countries outside the Middle East, including the United States and the UK..People get MERS “through close contact with camels carrying the virus or an infected person, or by consuming uncooked camel meat or unpasteurized camel milk,” according to an AHM statement..FIFA estimates 2.45 million people attended the first 48 World Cup matches and could be headed home.
