The MERS-CoV-shared genes KRT6B and TNFAIP3 had a high p-value associated with SARS-CoV-2, whereas genes such as OAS1-3, IRF9, IRF7, STAT1, PML and IFIH1 were highly associated with host responses to viral infections and type I interferon (S3 Fig). Here, IRF7 is linked to viral infectious disease.