The WHO has weighed in, and they say that this deadly strain of SARS is NOT easily transferable person to person.  This is a relief to the Saudi government, given the thousands of pilgrims that will be packing into their borders over the next few months.  I would like to point out 2 things:

1.  This SARS strain (and the WHO has confirmed it is within the same family as SARS), while a respiratory infection, it also aggressively attacks the kidneys.  This is a strange “mutation” given the primary mode of transference from the original SARS.

2. On that note, the fact that it is NOT easily passed person to person is a complete deviation from the original strain (If the WHO is giving accurate information).  To me, this seems to be a step backwards, from an evolutionary stand point.