Camel virus: what it is, symptoms and treatments of the flu that hit France at the World Cup in Qatar

The Qatar World Cup 2022 It’s the most expensive in history and held, for the first time, in an emirate with strict Islam-related laws, and not only could it be a football festival, there’s also the possibility it’s the scene of a virus to break out with deadlier than the coronavirus: the camel virus.

The virus is known as MERS-CoV and emerged in 2012 in Saudi Arabia, a country very close to Qatar. Researchers of the disease speculate that it was transmitted by bats which would have transmitted it to camels in the desert of the Arabian Peninsula.

The disease has already struck several French national team players ahead of the grand final against Argentina: Kingsley Coman, Dayot Upamecano and Adrien Rabiot.

How is the camel virus that could complicate the World Cup in Qatar 2022

On March 28, a patient was admitted to the hospital in Doha, the capital of Qatar, to receive the necessary medical treatment according to the national protocol. for the treatment of confirmed or suspected cases of the disease.

The patient was in direct contact with camels.

At the moment it has been detected that it was the first case of MERS, registered by the authorities, in Qatar. It is a viral respiratory disease caused by one of the coronaviruses (MERS-CoV), but differs from the novel Coronavirus known as (COVID19).

Both viruses differ in terms of the source of infection, the mode of transmission and the severity of the disease.

Protective measures to avoid contracting the camel virus​

Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health has warned people with chronic illnesses in particular or with immunodeficiency disorders, so that they adhere to public hygiene measures. And

This includes regular hand washing with soap and wateruse hand sanitizers, as well as avoid close contact with camels and consult a doctor if you experience symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat or shortness of breath.

Humans can get this virus, and despite its appearance years ago, there is no vaccine or treatment. Most of those infected came from the Middle East, although there have also been cases in Europe, Asia or Africa in recent years. All of them, yes, were from people who had already visited that region.

Some camels, animals that can transmit MERS-CoV, a more lethal virus than Covid-19, participate in an event in Doha (Qatar). (Photo: Markus Gilliar/Getty Images).

Due to this disease, some countries advise those going to the World Cup not to do the typical camel or dromedary rides in Qatarsomething very common.

“Fans should stay away from camels in Qatar. This is common sense advice to reduce the risk of contracting the virus. It’s a nasty virus, much deadlier than Covid-19, with a very high fatality rate and there is currently no effective vaccine,” Paul Hunter, a professor at the University of East Anglia, told the British newspaper. ‘The sun’.

What the World Health Organization says about the camel virus

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of the end of February 2022, a total of 2,585 laboratory-confirmed cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) had been reported worldwide.

Out of the total of these cases, there were 890 associated deaths (case fatality ratio of 34.4%).. Most of these cases were reported in Saudi Arabia (2184 cases), including 812 related deaths (RFC 37.2%).