#19,164
The month of May has already borne witness to a high-profile Andes Hantavirus outbreak aboard the m/v Hondius and a burgeoning Bundibugyo Ebolavirus outbreak in Central Africa, which makes bringing up MERS-CoV this morning almost feel like piling on.
But, with the 2026 Hajj only a week away, and nearly 2 million religious pilgrims expected to visit holy sites in Saudi Arabia, the low (but non-zero) possibility of seeing one or more MERS-CoV cases returning from the region cannot be ignored.
The UK's latest MERS-CoV Risk assessment reads, in part:
The number of reported human MERS-CoV cases per year globally, has fallen to the lowest level since 2014. The identification of 2 imported cases of MERS-CoV in France demonstrates that MERS continues to pose a risk to UK public health, particularly in those who have travelled to the Middle East.
In addition to PCR confirmed cases in the Middle East, there is serological evidence of MERS-CoV infection of camel-workers in Nigeria, Kenya and Morocco. There is therefore a very low risk of importation of MERS-CoV from occupationally exposed individuals from those African countries. It is imperative that health professionals remain vigilant for clinical presentations compatible with Middle East respiratory syndrome. Detailed case definitions and guidance on when to suspect MERS is given in the MERS-CoV: diagnosis and management of cases and contacts.
Today, the UKHSA has published (or updated) more than a half dozen additional documents pertaining to MERS-CoV and/or travel to the Middle East.
UKHSA risk assessment of MERS-CoV Updated: 18 May 2026
MERS-CoV: risk assessmentGuidance on reducing the risk of getting MERS-CoV for UK residents and travellers to the Middle East.Updated: 18 May 2026
MERS-CoV: minimum data set form for possible cases
Minimum data set form for possible cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).
MERS-CoV: diagnostic testing
Information on taking, submitting and processing clinical samples from patients suspected of having Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). Updated: 18 May 2026
MERS-CoV: diagnosis and management of cases and contacts
This guidance is for healthcare professionals and health protection teams (HPTs) on identifying and managing cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).Updated: 18 May 2026
MERS-CoV: background information
This guidance gives advice on the transmission, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) to the public.Updated: 18 May 2026
MERS-CoV: clinical management and guidance
Guidance on investigating Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), public health management of suspected UK cases and advice to travellers.Updated: 18 May 2026
MERS-CoV: biological principles for the control of MERS-CoV
This guidance outlines the current knowledge and assumptions about the biology and transmission of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).Updated: 18 May 2026
MERS-CoV: travel from the Middle East advice sheet
Infographic with advice on Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) for people travelling to the UK from the Middle East.Updated: 18 May 2026
While the number of reported cases has declined over the past 6 years, we've seen several recent high-profile reports of spillovers, including France MOH: 2 Travelers Returning From Arabian Peninsula Diagnosed with MERS-CoV and WHO: Saudi Arabia Reports 9 New MERS-CoV Cases.MERS-CoV: travel from the Middle East advice sheet (HTML version) Updated: 18 May 2026
Not surprisingly, over the past year we've also seen a resurgence in MERS-CoV-related studies, including:
The Lancet: The Threat of Another Coronavirus PandemicAs recently as last March - a WHO-authored commentary, published in Nature - warned that the MERS-CoV continues to circulate in dromedary camels in the Middle East, that it appears to maintain its virulence, and it remains a plausible pandemic threat.
Health Sci Rpts (Narrative Review): Pathogenicity and Potential Role of MERS-CoV in the Emergence of “Disease X”
IJID Editorial: Al-Tawfiq on Global Epidemiology and Public Health Challenges of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV)
JEGH: Epidemiological Characteristics of MERS-CoV Human Cases, 2012- 2025
JEGH: Al-Tawfiq & Memish On Recurrent MERS-CoV Transmission in Saudi Arabia
I consider trying to predict the next big global health crisis a mug's game, since so many things could come at us out of left field with little or no warning.
But recent studies suggest that the frequency, and impact, of pandemics are only expected to increase in the years ahead.
BMJ Global: Historical Trends Demonstrate a Pattern of Increasingly Frequent & Severe Zoonotic Spillover EventsSo, while I can't tell you what type of emerging disease will spark the next pandemic - or when - it is all but guaranteed to happen again.
PNAS Research: Intensity and Frequency of Extreme Novel Epidemics
The only question is; when that day comes, will we be ready?
