Warning after two deaths in outbreak of deadly disease MERS
Warning after two deaths in outbreak of deadly disease MERS
The disease is much more deadly than Covuid, with a mortality rate of 35%
MERS is much more deadly than Covid
The World Health Organisation has issued an alert after an outbreak of a deadly virus with a mortality rate of 35% . Between March 1 and April 21, 2025, the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia reported nine cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection. Two people have so far died.
Among the nine cases, a cluster of seven was identified in Riyadh, including six health and care workers who acquired the infection from caring for a single infected patient. The cluster was identified through contact tracing and subsequent testing of all contacts, with four of the six health and care workers being asymptomatic and two showing only mild, nonspecific signs.
A WHO spokesman said: "These cases show that the virus continues to pose a threat in countries where it is circulating in dromedary camels and spilling over into the human population. WHO recommends implementation of targeted infection prevention and control (IPC) measures to prevent the spread of health-care-associated infections of MERS-CoV and onward human transmission."
MERS is a viral respiratory illness caused by the MERS-CoV (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus), which is part of the coronavirus family—the same family that includes SARS and COVID-19. It was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012.
Symptoms include a fever, cough, shortness of breath, often severe pneumonia and stomach problems such as diarrhoea, can also occur.
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Outside of the Middle East, the largest outbreak was in South Koprea in 2015 where 186 people caught the disease and 38 died. The risk is especially high for older adults and people with underlying conditions like diabetes, kidney disease, or weakened immune systems.
MERS doesn't spread as easily as COVID-19 but is far more lethal when it does.
WHO has also issued a warning over another virus outbreak. Since August 2024, widespread transmission of chikungunya virus disease has been documented in La Réunion as well as increasing locally transmitted cases in Mayotte. Although chikungunya outbreaks and endemic transmission occur annually in several countries and territories around the world, the Indian Ocean islands have not experienced major outbreaks for nearly two decades.
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In La Réunion, over 47,500 cases and twelve associated deaths have been reported as of May 4, 2025, with sustained high transmission across the island. In Mayotte, the first locally transmitted cases since 2005–2006 have been detected, raising concern about similar large outbreaks.
Public health response measures, including enhanced surveillance, vector control activities, and novel targeted vaccination efforts, have been implemented to contain the outbreaks, however further outbreak activity in the islands of the Indian Ocean can be expected.
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