The 411 on MERS

What you need to know about this Middle Eastern virus.

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What’s Going On? - Recent news about a potentially deadly virus entering the U.S for the first time was incredibly scary. Read about what happened and what you need to know about this Middle Eastern respiratory virus.—(@kelleent) Kellee Terrell

 (Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

MERS Patient Improving Says CDC - The man diagnosed with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is reportedly doing “better,” according to the CDC and the Indiana Health Department officials. The health care worker contracted the disease when working in Saudi Arabia. MERS is a highly infectious disease that can be nonthreatening in some and cause death in others, USA Today writes. (Photo: AP Photo/National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases via The Canadian Press, File)

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What is MERS? - Also known as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, MERS is a contagious illness caused by a virus called a coronavirus. This virus is in the same family as SARS, Web MD points out. MERS originated in the Middle East and has been found in the following countries: United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Jordan and Kuwait.(Photo: AP Photo/National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases via The Canadian Press, File)

So How Did it Get Here? - An Indiana health care worker is known to have brought it back to the U.S. last week when he flew into Chicago after somehow contracting MERS while in Saudia Arabia. It’s unknown if he infected anyone else on trips to Chicago and Indiana. He is currently in isolation, seeking treatment. (Photo: AP Photo/Aaron Favila, File)

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So How Did it Get Here? - An Indiana health care worker is known to have brought it back to the U.S. last week when he flew into Chicago after somehow contracting MERS while in Saudia Arabia. It’s unknown if he infected anyone else on trips to Chicago and Indiana. He is currently in isolation, seeking treatment. (Photo: AP Photo/Aaron Favila, File)

Does MERS Really Come From Camels? - It’s rumored that’s where the virus originated, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say they cannot confirm that to be true.  (Photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

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Does MERS Really Come From Camels? - It’s rumored that’s where the virus originated, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say they cannot confirm that to be true.  (Photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

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Is There a Cure? - Unfortunately, no. There is treatment to help relieve symptoms, but not really treat the virus itself. The CDC says it is working on a MERS vaccine now, which is important given that 30 percent of those with MERS will die from the disease. (Photo: Jeffrey Coolidge/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Jeffrey Coolidge/Getty Image

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SARS-Like Virus Detected in Egypt - In Egypt, authorities have reported the first known case of a dangerous string of the SARS virus in the country Saturday. A 27-year-old man was quarantined after he was diagnosed upon his arrival in the Cairo airport Friday.  (Photo: Amr Nabil/AP Photo)

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How Common is It? - According to the CDC, there have been 401 cases of MERS in about 12 countries. Of the reported cases, MERS has killed 93 people. Last week's confirmation of the Indiana health care worker wtih MERS marked the first case found here in the States. (Photo: Amr Nabil/AP Photo)

Do It in Person If You Can - Sincerity is easier to see in the flesh, but the phone is a good substitute. And if you can’t bring yourself to be that vulnerable — or they won’t talk to you — a handwritten letter is another option.  (Photo: UpperCut Images/Getty Images)

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How is it Spread? - MERS is highly contagious and is spread through casual close contact between people (kissing, drinking out of the same cup, etc.) It’s been highly documented in health care settings in the Middle East. The CDC is testing everyone the health care worker came into contact with now. As of yet, no one else has tested positive.  (Photo: UpperCut Images/Getty Images)

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How Concerned Should I Be? - While MERS is very serious, you should not be losing sleep over it, assures the CDC. The only people who should be concerned are those who have come into close contact with someone who is being tested for or has already been diagnosed with MERS. (Photo: Andrew Parfenov/Getty Images)

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Protecting Yourself  - If you are still concerned, you can protect yourself. As with any other virus, it’s important to wash your hands with soap; cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing and sneezing; not touch your eyes, mouth or nose with dirty hands; and avoid close contact with sick people if you can. (Photo: Getty Images)