MERS-CoV — Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV)
- REPORTED CASES
- 8
- REPORTED DEATHS
- 1
- FIGURES AS OF
- 5 Oct 2026
- HUMAN-TO-HUMAN TRANSMISSION
- Not documented
- WHERE
- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- STATUS
- active
- REPORTED BY
- WHO Disease Outbreak News ↗
- SOURCE UPDATED
- Source updated 7 days ago
WHAT IS HAPPENING · SUMMARY OF WHO DISEASE OUTBREAK NEWS
Between 1 January and 5 October 2026, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reported eight laboratory-confirmed cases of MERS-CoV infection, including one death, detected across six locations: Al Jouf, Arar, Hafr Al-Batin, Riyadh, Tabuk and Taif. No epidemiological links were identified between any of the cases. The cases appear to represent sporadic infections related to zoonotic spillover rather than a single outbreak cluster.
FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC
The source has not published a general-public risk statement that ContagionMap holds. Follow your national public-health authority for advice where you live.
FOR TRAVELLERS
Follow the guidance in the official source.
WHAT IS KNOWN
- WHO Disease Outbreak News reports 8 cases and 1 deaths as of 5 Oct 2026.
- Locations reporting cases or under monitoring: Taif.
- The source does not document person-to-person transmission in this outbreak.
WHAT IS UNCERTAIN
- Six of eight cases reported no known camel exposure despite MERS being a zoonotic disease with dromedary camels as the primary reservoir, leaving the source of infection unclear for most cases.
- The case fatality rate (12.5%) rests on 8 cases and will move substantially as figures change.
CONTAGIONMAP ANALYSIS
Significance: Moderate. This is ContagionMap's rating of how severe the outbreak is where cases are occurring, based on the figures above and the pathogen. It is not an official WHO or government classification and is not a measure of risk to people elsewhere.
LOCATIONS (1)
| Location | Cases | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Taif | 2 | — |
REPORTED FIGURES OVER TIME
OFFICIAL NOTICES
- Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia — WHO Disease Outbreak News, 15 Oct 2026
Figures are as reported by the named source on the date shown. Summaries and the significance rating are ContagionMap's. This record last changed on ContagionMap 22 Oct 2026. Not medical advice.