Third case of MERS confirmed in US

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the US has confirmed the third case of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS) in the country.

Health officials said that the fresh case has been confirmed in a man from Illinois. It is likely that the man had got infected from the first confirmed case of MERS virus, an Indiana resident. The latter had picked up the virus in Saudi Arabia as he went to the Middle Eastern nation.

The man was admitted to a hospital on April 28 and four days later the health officials confirmed that he had been infected by the deadly virus.

The second case was confirmed in a healthcare worker from Florida, who had also returned Saudi Arabia. Both the cases were, however, not linked.

Local media reported that the Illinois resident came in contact with the first victim at least twice before the latter was tested positive for MERS.

"It's possible for a patient to test positive for the virus, but not get sick," Dr. David Swerdlow of the CDC said.

The Center said that the Illinois resident "did not seek or require medical care," but that he is "reported to be feeling well."

The outbreak of MERS virus started in the Middle East in 2012 and it has affected people living in Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. At least 572 confirmed cases of the MERS have been recorded across 15 countries so far.

As of May 16, 173 people have died due to this virus. Symptoms of the MERS virus are cough, fever and shortness of breath.