Key facts

Transmission

Close contact with (including providing care to) a person infected by MERS
Close contact with dromedary (Arabian) camels (how the disease spreads is not yet fully understood)

Symptoms

Fever, cough and shortness of breath, diarrhoea.
If severe, can cause breathing to become difficult and stop. Patients may need breathing support in a hospital.

Prevention

Avoid contact with sick animals
Avoid consuming raw or undercooked camel products (milk, meat, urine)
Adopt coughing etiquette
Use personal protection or barriers when caring for a sick person (masks, gloves)
Wash hands with soap
Adopt social mobilization and behaviour change communication
Keep animals under surveillance

Vulnerable people

Older people
People with weakened immune systems
People with chronic diseases such as renal disease, cancer, chronic lung disease and diabetes

If an epidemic occurs

Detect sick people rapidly and refer them to health facilities
Increase social mobilization and behaviour change communication
Promote use of personal protection or barriers when caring for a sick person (masks, gloves)
Isolate sick people
Promote handwashing with soap
Promote coughing etiquette
Disinfect reusable supplies that are used to care for or treat sick people
Encourage people to avoid contact with animals infected by MERS
Tell people they should not consume raw or undercooked camel products (milk, meat)
Promote animal surveillance

Community-based assessment - questions

Make a map of the community and mark the information you gather on the map. Record other details.

When did people start to fall sick with MERS?
How many people have fallen sick with MERS? Where?
How many have died? Where?
How many people live in the affected community or area? How many children under five years of age live in the area?
Who and where are the vulnerable people?
Who is most affected by MERS?
Are areas or markets with animals known to be infected by MERS? Where are they?
What are the community’s habits, practices and beliefs about handling and slaughtering animals, especially animals that are sick or dead?
Do people cook milk and meat thoroughly before eating them?
Are there handwashing facilities in the community, at animal markets and other areas where livestock gather? Are soap and water always available?
Where are the local health facilities and services? (Include traditional and community carers from whom people seek advice.)
What are the community’s habits, practices and beliefs about caring for and feeding sick people?
Is a social mobilization or health promotion programme in place?
Which sources or channels of information do people use most?
Are rumours or is misinformation about MERS spreading in the community?

Volunteer actions

01. Community-based surveillance 02. Community mapping 03. Communicating with the community 04. Community referral to health facilities 05. Volunteer protection and safety 06. Personal protection equipment (PPE) for highly infectious diseases 19. Psychosocial support 20. Isolating sick people 26. Respiratory hygiene and coughing etiquette 27. Shelter and ventilation 28. Physical distancing 29. Hygiene promotion 34. Handwashing with soap 35. Handwashing in a highly infectious epidemic Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) 41. Handling and slaughtering animals 43. Social mobilization and behaviour change