when was mers started?
<answer> Mers started in 2012. <context> Q: Why is it sometimes called MERS-CoV? A: MERS-CoV is the acronym for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus, the virus that causes MERS. When referring to the virus and not the illness, CDC uses MERS-CoV. When referring to the illness, CDC uses MERS. The virus was first reported in 2012 in Saudi Arabia.