The Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was first discovered in 2012 in a patient who died from severe respiratory disease. Since then, and as of 16 January 2020, 2 521 cases have been reported worldwide, including 919 deaths (crude case fatality 36%). Most cases have been reported from the Arabian Peninsula (and around 84% specifically from Saudi Arabia), and all cases elsewhere had a travel history to the Arabian Peninsula or were a contact of someone who had a travel history to the region.

A novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has been isolated and considered the causative agent of the cluster of 448 pneumonia cases in the area of Wuhan, Hubei province in China, as well as of the four travel-associated cases in Thailand, Japan and South Korea.

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 12-18 January 2020 and includes updates on Ebola virus disease, dengue, chikungunya, influenza and pnuemonia cases in China.

A novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has been isolated and considered the causative agent of the cluster of 41 pneumonia cases in the area of Wuhan, Hubei province in China, as well as of the three travel-related cases in Thailand and Japan, arriving from Wuhan.

This is the third report for the 2019–20 influenza season. As of week 1/2020, 42 844 influenza detections had been reported across the WHO European Region; 85% type A viruses, with A(H3N2) prevailing over A(H1N1)pdm09, and 15% type B viruses, with 531 (92%) of 576 ascribed to a B/Victoria lineage.