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The virus [knowing / known] as MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) has spread enough for the WHO (World Health Organisation) to say the situation is now more [seriously / serious] and urgent. The WHO’s assistant director-general for health [severity / security] Dr Keiji Fukuda said that the illness currently does not [institute / constitute] a global health emergency but needs to be carefully monitored [in case / encase] of a sudden epidemic. Dr Fukuda said [declaration / declaring] an emergency is "a major act" that can unnecessarily "[raise / rise] anxieties." He added that there is no "evidence of person-to-person transmissibility". The [virus / viral] has so far been reported in 18 countries since [surfacing / leveling] in Saudi Arabia in 2012. There have been 571 confirmed [cases / causes] and 171 deaths.

The USA's Center for Disease Control said MERS is a viral respiratory illness caused [by / with] a coronavirus called MERS-CoV. It said: "Most people who have been [confirmed / conformed] to have MERS-CoV infection developed [severe / several] acute respiratory illness. They had a fever, [cuff / cough] , and shortness of [breath / breathe] . About 30 per cent of these people died." Researchers believe it was [past / passed] to humans from camels in Saudi Arabia. All of the people who have contracted it have had very [closely / close] contact with other sufferers. Doctors said it does not pass from person to person like a [flu / influenza] virus. Airports in the U.S. are [advising / advice] those travelling to the Middle East to: "Wash your hands often, avoid touching your face, avoid close contact with [sickness / sick] people."