WHO: To Avoid MERS, Don’t Drink Camel Urine

Foreign Policy ^ | 6/28 | ELIAS GROLL

[nickcarraway]

Six people have died, 87 have been infected, and some 1,800 schools and kindergartens have temporarily shut their doors amid an outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in South Korea. It’s likely the most significant outbreak of the disease outside the Middle East, and over the weekend, the World Health Organization released details on new cases of the disease in South Korea. It also issued a surprising piece of advice for individuals seeking to avoid infection: Drink neither raw camel milk nor camel urine.

That’s perhaps not as strange as it sounds. While the exact transmission mechanisms remain unclear, it is thought that the disease has its origins in bats and that camels may serve as a transmission point to humans. And in parts of the Middle East, drinking camel urine is not as uncommon as one might think. In parts of the Arabian Peninsula, the liquid is consumed for its allegedly palliative properties. The Prophet Mohammed is said to have informed his followers to drink camel urine to cure them of disease.

In 2013, an intrepid reporter for Vice sampled the substance while in Yemen. “The taste of warm piss is, as you would expect, disgusting,” he wrote. “But when it’s mixed with camel milk, as it traditionally is, it’s even worse. Getting rid of the musky aftertaste that takes over your mouth after the first sip is impossible.”

[haroldeveryman]

“So what am I supposed to do with the 6 gallons of pre-mixed camel urine Margaritas...”

Don’t drop cigarette butts in it. It makes them soggy and hard to light.

[nickcarraway]

Try vaping it.

[Fai Mao]

So, why people in South Korea drinking camel pee? I thought they were more into dogs, not camels.

[Impala64ssa]

Actually, piss drinking, euphemistically referred to as urine therapy, does have some following with non-islamic, new agey types.

[Slings and Arrows]

The Muslims should look at it this way: If they're not busy drinking camel urine, they'll have more time to throw gays off of rooftops.

[Enterprise]

No problem. My local super market discontinued stocking it.

[alexander_busek]

Almost makes me want to bottle non-pasteurized camel urine in mecca and have it certified Halal....

Seriously: I'm surprised that that isn't already available at the corner convenience stores in half the Arab world!

Regards,

[Smokin' Joe]

Mers ping....

Just want y'all to be safe, so watch your beverage list, please.

[RichInOC]

It’s like virgin Corona.

[exDemMom]

This is why I stick with:

Bears are not known to carry MERS.

[Darksheare]

So camel urine is alot like hipster beers?

[48th SPS Crusader]

Hey thanks for the info I would never have thought of that.......

[PapaBear3625]

Good luck with that among Muslims.

Mohammad himself said:

Some people from the tribe of 'Ukl came to the Prophet and embraced Islam. The climate of Medina did not suit them, so the Prophet ordered them to go to the (herd of milch) camels of charity and to drink, their milk and urine (as a medicine).

To believe that camel urine is not good for you is blasphemy to a Muslim.

[existentially_kuffer]

Hard to believe 1.5 billion adherents believe mohammad is a “perfect pattern of human behavior” too.

[DannyTN]

[just me]

I guess I’ll have to take it off my bucket list...

[metmom]

Thereare somethings Ican live without knowing.

That people actually drink camel urine is one of them.

[a fool in paradise]

Islam is obsessive compulsive disorder writ large. Don’t question the wisdom of Moe, that’s what all of the imam say.

[GOPJ]

LOL - thanks I was just getting ready to knock down a few gallons...

[BipolarBob]

I’ve really been trying to cut back. Honest.

There's got to be a 12 step program for us out there somewhere.