PandemicPreparedness

29 September: The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported an additional case of MERS-CoV in Saudi Arabia from August 2025. The individual is the twelfth reported infection in the country for the year and marks the third fatality attributed to MERS-CoV in the country this year.

8 August: An additional case of MERS has been reported in Saudi Arabia, with symptom onset in May 2025, bringing the total number of confirmed infections in 2025 to 11.

13 May: The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed nine new cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Saudi Arabia between February and April 2025, including two deaths. These are the first reported cases since March and include a hospital-based cluster of seven infections in Riyadh. One fatal case occurred in Hail, involving an individual over 65 with indirect contact with camels. The second fatality was an adult in Riyadh with no known exposure to camels or camel products.

The Riyadh hospital cluster began with an index patient admitted in early April. Contact tracing identified six infected healthcare workers, most of whom were asymptomatic. All recovered without severe illness. WHO has stated that these recent cases do not alter the current risk level, which remains moderate globally and regionally. The virus continues to circulate in camels and can occasionally spill over to humans. Enhanced surveillance and control measures, including testing of respiratory samples negative for flu and COVID-19, are ongoing. WHO also noted that infection control practices introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic may have reduced MERS-CoV transmission.

13 March: The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported four cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Saudi Arabia between September 2024 and February 2025, including two fatalities. The cases were reported in Hail (2), Riyadh (1), and the Eastern Province (1). One case resulted from exposure in a healthcare setting, while the others had no confirmed links to dromedary camels, except for one individual who had indirect contact with camels or their raw products.

The affected individuals, all male and aged 27 to 78, had underlying health conditions. No additional infections were detected among their close contacts, and the overall risk assessment remains moderate at both global and regional levels. Saudi Arabia continues to implement measures to prevent further spread, including enhanced screening in healthcare facilities and refresher training for medical staff.

MERS-CoV remains a concern in the Middle East, where the virus circulates in camels, but no infections have been reported outside the region since 2019. WHO is closely monitoring the situation and expects occasional new cases, particularly in areas where the virus is present in camels.