First Case of Deadly Middle Eastern Virus Found in U.S.

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Egyptian Muslim pilgrims pray after they cast stones at a pillar near the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on Oct. 17, 2013.

Image: Amr Nabil/Associated Press

By Jason Abbruzzese2014-05-02 19:01:27 UTC

The Center for Disease Control has confirmed that a case of the deadly Middle East respiratory syndrome known as MERS has been found in the United States for the first time.

The case of MERS, first reported by the Associated Press, was confirmed by the CDC, which did not immediately respond to a query by Mashable.

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The disease has caused concern in Saudi Arabia, where it has killed more than 100 people since it first appeared in 2012. The outbreak there has intensified, with 39 dying in April.

Symptoms of MERS include fever, cough and shortness of breath, with almost all cases of the illness occurring around the Arabian Peninsula.

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Topics: mers, middle east, U.S., US & World, World