Infectious Respiratory Diseases
U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention: Middle East Respiratory Infection (MERS)
World Health Organization: Coronavirus Infections (including MERS)
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome
Memo to Healthcare Providers - May 29, 2024 (PDF, 215KB)
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus or MERS-CoV is a novel (new) coronavirus that was first identified in September of 2012 and has been associated with severe respiratory infections among persons who live in or have traveled to the Middle East and persons (including health care providers) exposed to MERS cases outside of the Middle East. The first travel-associated cases in the United States were confirmed in May, 2014.
There has been clear evidence of person-to-person transmission both in household and healthcare settings, but no evidence of sustained person-to-person transmission in the community. MERS-CoV is different from all coronaviruses previously associated with human infections, including SARS-CoV.
Recommendations for travelers:
Recommendations for close contacts of an ill traveler from the Arabian Peninsula:
Updated recommendations for health care providers are in a separate document linked from this page.
*Countries considered in the Arabian Peninsula and neighboring include: Bahrain; Iraq; Iran; Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza; Jordan; Kuwait; Lebanon; Oman; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; Syria; the United Arab Emirates (UAE); and Yemen.
**Close contact is defined as: a) being within approximately 6 feet (2 meters) or within the room or care area for a prolonged period of time (e.g., healthcare personnel, household members) while not wearing recommended personal protective equipment (i.e., gowns, gloves, respirator, eye protection– see Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations; or b) having direct contact with infectious secretions (e.g., being coughed on) while not wearing recommended personal protective equipment. Data to inform the definition of close contact are limited. At this time, brief interactions, such as walking by a person, are considered low risk and do not constitute close contact.