scientist have warn that the 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament in Qatar “ unavoidably poses possible infectious disease risks ” . While their independent concerns are COVID-19 and monkeypox , they also put forward a warning for another ugly member of the coronavirus gang : Middle East respiratory syndrome ( MERS ) .

Between November 20 to December 18 , 2022 , around 1.5 million visitors from all Continent will beflocking to Qatarto keep an eye on the2022 FIFA World Cupin what will be one of the big international upshot since the morning of the COVID-19 pandemic .

masses gathering like this always flummox some sort of infective disease hazard , but the research worker on a new field of study argue that the threat is especially high this class view the ongoing wellness crises riddling the globe .

A camel race in Qatar desert.

Camels in the Middle East are the main source of the virus. Image credit: Cristian Dobre/Shutterstock.com

Along with admonition ofCOVID-19andmonkeypox , the trio of researchers also play up the terror of MERS that fan should be mindful of in Qatar . This paper is n’t alone in its worries . Arecent reportfrom the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control also warned that “ possible threat during the World Cup admit COVID-19 , MERS - CoV and monkeypox . ”

Just like COVID-19 , MERS is due to a coronavirus . It is consider that the virus originate in squash racket , but camels are vulgar reservoir of the pathogen and are often responsible for infected people . Typically symptoms aresimilar to COVID-19 , such as fever , cough , and shortness of breath .

MERSwas first reported in 2012 in Saudi Arabia and has since cause 2,600 case with 935 associated deaths in 27 different countries . Most grammatical case have remained in Saudi Arabia – 2,193 report grammatical case and 854 dying – but there have been a little yet pregnant number of cases elsewhere in the Middle East , including Qatar .

Qatar , which has a population of 2.9 million , has seen 28 example of MERS in total . In 2022 alone , they have document three cases . That does n’t sound like a muckle , but the researcher indicate that people at risk of evolve diseases , such as those with infirm immune systems , should be aware of the risk and attempt to avoid all contact with camel .

“ Epidemiologic data from Qatar showed the occurrent of 28 cases of MERS ( incidence of 1.7 per 1,000,000 population ) and most cases had a history of contact with camel . Thus , people with greater jeopardy of developing severe disease are counsel to head off striking with dromedary camel , booze sensitive camel milk or camel piss , or consume meat that has not been properly falsify , ” the study author publish .

The pre - proof paper was recently published in the journalNew Microbes and New Infections .