WHO Warns of Rising Cases of “Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus” (MERS-CoV)
The World Health Organization has issued a severe warning regarding Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), following a recorded increase in infections.
French authorities confirmed the detection of the first two cases of MERS-CoV in over a decade, raising concerns about the spread of a new infectious disease in Europe, which is still in a period of recovery from the effects of the “COVID-19” pandemic.
The two cases, involving travelers who visited the Arabian Peninsula in early December 2025, bring the total number of confirmed cases recorded in France to four (including one death).
As of December 21, the World Health Organization has recorded 19 cases of MERS-CoV, including 4 deaths.
Seventeen of these cases originated in Saudi Arabia, and two in France. This comes at a time when other respiratory virus cases continue to rise globally, and although most infections from viruses like adenovirus are mild, doctors are urging adults and children to know the signs and symptoms.
In an update, the WHO stated: “Between June 4 and December 21, 2025, the Saudi Ministry of Health reported a total of seven cases of MERS-CoV, including two deaths.”
While “these cases do not change the overall risk assessment, which remains moderate at the global and regional levels,” they show that the virus still poses a threat in certain countries. The virus is known to infect camels and is characterized by a high mortality rate of approximately 37%, although its ability to transmit between humans is relatively limited. Genetic sequencing confirmed that the two strains discovered in France match the strains circulating in the Arabian Peninsula.
French authorities immediately initiated…
United News Network – UNN Arabic
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