MERS is an infection of the lungs caused by a virus known as a coronavirus and is written as MERS-CoV.
Coronaviruses can cause illness similar to the common cold in the winter months. This coronavirus is different than these viruses and has never been seen in humans before.
Most people who became ill with MERS had traveled to, lived in, or were in close contact with someone who had traveled to the Arabian Peninsula.
Most people who got infected with MERS became severely ill with a respiratory illness with symptoms such as: fever, cough, shortness of breath.
中东呼吸综合征是由一种冠状病毒引起的肺部感染疾病,也叫做MERS-Cov。
冠状病毒能在冬季引起类似感冒的疾病,但这种冠状病毒与感冒病毒不同,此前未曾在人类身上发现过。
大多数患中东呼吸综合征的人都曾经到过或居住在阿拉伯半岛地区,又或者与到访过该地区的人有过密切接触。
大多数患者会表现出严重的呼吸系统疾病症状,包括:发烧、咳嗽以及呼吸急促。
【讲解】文中的MERS就是“中东呼吸综合征”的意思,即为Middle East Respiratory Syndrome,其中syndrome意为“综合征”,是医学术语,指机体同时出现的一系列症状,如:Lemon juice can help to prevent economy-class syndrome by improving blood circulation. (柠檬汁能够改善血液循环,有助于预防经济舱综合征。)
最后一句中的infect是及物动词,意为“传染,感染”,后面常接with表示“把……传染给……”,如:The water was infected with germs. (这些水被细菌污染了。)