MERS

noun

ˈmərz 

: a serious viral respiratory illness that is caused by a coronavirus (Betacoronavirus cameli) related to the causative virus of SARS, that is marked by fever, cough, and shortness of breath and that may often progress to severe pneumonia with acute respiratory distress syndrome and organ failure

Note: The first cases of MERS appeared in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and most cases originate from countries in or near the Arabian Peninsula.

see mers-cov

Examples of MERS in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Along with finding treatments for a host of other serious diseases, Fauci was instrumental in making strides to fight AIDS, Ebola, MERS, SARS, swine flu, and in developing drugs to counteract bioterrorism after 9/11. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2026

In my own research on Ebola, SARS and MERS, my colleagues and I have shown that the speed at which infected people are identified and removed from the community is one of the strongest determinants of outbreak size. — John Drake, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026

The far less transmissible coronaviruses SARS and MERS killed 15 and 35 percent, respectively. — Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025

About four in every 10 people who have a MERS infection die of the illness, and there is no cure or vaccine. — Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 10 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle East respiratory syndrome

First Known Use

2013, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing MERS

• MERS-CoV

Rhymes for MERS

• blurs
• burrs
• firs
• fleurs
• fors
• furs
• amateurs
• colporteurs
• connoisseurs
• rapporteurs
• saboteurs
• voyageurs

Medical Definition

MERS

noun

ˈmərz 

: a serious viral respiratory illness that is caused by a coronavirus (Betacoronavirus cameli) related to the causative virus of SARS, that is marked by fever, cough, and shortness of breath, and that may often progress to severe pneumonia with acute respiratory distress syndrome and organ failure

Note: The first cases of MERS appeared in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and most cases originate from countries in or near the Arabian peninsula.

For some patients, the route of infection is completely unclear. Still, most scientists now believe that camels are the key to controlling MERS.

—Martin Enserink, Science

called also Middle East respiratory syndrome

see mers-cov