MERS Outbreaks Remain a Health Risk in 2023

The World Health Organization (WHO) today announced that from September 2022 to August 12, 2023, three laboratory-confirmed cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), including two deaths, were reported by the Ministry of Health of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). 

Close contacts for the three cases from Riyadh, Asser, and Makkah Al Mukarramah regions were followed up by the Ministry of Health, and no secondary cases were identified.

Of the three male cases, two had a history of contact with dromedary camels, and all three patients had a history of consumption of raw camel milk in the 14 days before the onset of symptoms.

The WHO wrote on August 29, 2023, that it expects that additional cases of MERS-CoV viral respiratory infections will be reported from the Middle East and/or other countries where MERS-CoV is circulating in dromedaries and that patients will continue to be exported to other countries by individuals who were exposed to the virus.

For example, a MERS outbreak was confirmed in the Republic of Korea in 2015.

Since the beginning of 2023, and as of late July 2023, one MERS-CoV case was reported by UAE authorities.

Furthermore, human-to-human transmission of MERS-CoV has been confirmed in healthcare settings.

WHO stated it does not advise special screening at points of entry regarding this event, nor does it recommend applying any travel or trade restrictions. 

Since the first report of MERS-CoV in KSA in 2012, human infections have been reported from 27 countries in all six WHO regions.

Of the reported 2605 cases, most MERS-CoV cases (2196; 84%) have been reported from KSA. Approximately 36% of patients with MERS have died.

A study published by the  International Journal of Infectious Diseases on March 29, 2023, confirms MERS-CoV remains a threat to global health security. as variants continue circulating in humans and camels.

No vaccine or specific treatment is currently available, although several MERS-CoV-specific vaccines and therapeutics are in development as of late August 2023.