Disease Outbreak News

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus - Global update

https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON591

Situation at a glance

Since the beginning of 2025 and as of 21 December 2025, a total of 19 cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS- CoV), including four deaths have been reported to WHO globally. Of the 19 cases, 17 were reported by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), and two were reported from France. Between 4 June and 21 December 2025, the Ministry of Health (MoH) of KSA reported a total of seven cases of MERS-CoV infection, including two deaths. In addition, at the beginning of December 2025, the National IHR Focal Point (IHR NFP) for France also reported two MERS-CoV travel – associated cases; involving individuals with recent travel to countries in the Arabian Peninsula. The notification of these latest cases does not change the overall risk assessment, which remains moderate at both the global and regional levels. These cases show that the virus continues to pose a threat in countries where it is circulating in dromedary camels, with regular spillover into the human population. WHO recommends implementation of targeted infection, prevention and control (IPC) measures to prevent the spread of health care-associated infections of MERS-CoV and onward human transmission.

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