Key facts
- Since the previous update on 2 July 2026, and as of 3 August 2026, no new MERS cases have been reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) or by national health authorities.
- Since the beginning of 2026, and as of 3 August 2026, two MERS cases, including one fatality, have been reported in Saudi Arabia.
- The probability of sustained human-to-human transmission among the general population in Europe remains very low, and the impact of the disease in the general population is also considered to be low. The current MERS-CoV situation remains unchanged and poses a low risk to the EU/EEA.
Overview
Update: Since the previous update on 2 July 2026, and as of 3 August 2026, no new MERS cases have been reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) or by national health authorities.
Summary: Since the beginning of 2026, and as of 3 August 2026, two MERS cases, including one fatality, have been reported in Saudi Arabia. No information is available on the regions in Saudi Arabia affected by these cases.
Since April 2012, and as of 3 August 2026, a total of 2 649 MERS cases, including 960 deaths, have been reported by health authorities worldwide.
Sources: ECDC MERS-CoV page | WHO MERS-CoV | ECDC factsheet for professionals | Qatar MoPH Case #1 | Qatar MoPH Case #2 | FAO MERS-CoV situation update | WHO DON Oman | WHO DON Saudi Arabia | WHO DON UAE | WHO DON Saudi Arabia 1 | WHO IHR | WHO EMRO MERS Situation report | WHO DON Saudi Arabia 2 | WHO DON Saudi Arabia 3 | WHO DON Saudi Arabia 4 | WHO DON Saudi Arabia 5 | MERS-CoV Dashboard | French Ministry of Health | WHO DON France & Saudi Arabia
ECDC assessment
Human MERS cases continue to be reported in the Arabian Peninsula. However, the number of new cases detected and reported through surveillance has dropped to the lowest level since 2014. The probability of sustained human-to-human transmission among the general population in Europe remains very low, and the impact of the disease in the general population is considered low. The current MERS-CoV situation remains unchanged and poses a low risk to the EU/EEA, as stated in the Rapid Risk Assessment published by ECDC on 29 August 2018.
In October 2019, ECDC published a technical report, 'Health emergency preparedness for imported cases of high-consequence infectious diseases' that is still useful for EU Member States wishing to assess their level of preparedness for a disease such as MERS. ECDC also published 'Risk assessment guidelines for infectious diseases transmitted on aircraft (RAGIDA) – Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)' on 22 January 2020.
