Since it was identified last September, the respiratory illness has sickened nearly 100 people, most of them in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. About half of them died.
No cases have been reported in the United States.
Bats have been a suspected carrier of the virus for some time because they are known to carry viruses similar to MERS. They also harbor other deadly viruses, including rabies and SARS.
Still, discovery of a genetic match doesn’t mean bats are the direct culprit.
“There is no evidence of direct exposure to bats in the majority of human cases of MERS,” Memish said in a statement.
via Study: MERS virus match seen in Saudi Arabian bat | News , Health | THE DAILY STAR.
This has been so obvious – the outbreak began in area that has thousands of acres devoted to growing some of the best dates in the world. and the bat love them as much as we do. Direct exposure is not necessary… these types of viruses are passed along by exposure of humans and other animals to the feces and urine of the bats on the ground, in the water, and on the fruit.