Emerging Human Coronaviruses — Disease Potential and Preparedness.

The article discusses the detection of a novel betacoronavirus called HCoV-EMC in a patient from Saudi Arabia who died of pneumonia and renal failure in June 2012, based on a study by Zaki et al. published in this journal. The pathogens were discovered in the two conditions using polymerase chain reaction assay and sequence studies. The prompt identification has prevented human-to-human transmission which could result into a public health threat similar to other zoonitic infections.