The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a serious warning regarding the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) following a spike in reported cases. As of December 21, 2025, the WHO confirmed a total of 19 cases, including four fatalities. Of these incidents, 17 occurred in Saudi Arabia, while two were reported in France. This increase occurs alongside a global surge in adenovirus cases, prompting health officials to advise vigilance in recognizing symptoms.
In an update, the WHO noted that between June 4 and December 21, 2025, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health documented seven cases of MERS-CoV infection, resulting in two deaths. Although the overall risk assessment remains moderate at both global and regional levels, these developments underscore the ongoing threat posed by the virus in specific regions. MERS-CoV is primarily transmitted from dromedary camels to humans, with sporadic outbreaks reported.
New Virus Discovery in Brazil Raises Concerns
As the world grapples with MERS, researchers have identified a novel bat-borne coronavirus in Brazil, the implications of which for human health are still uncertain. This discovery has researchers on alert, especially given the virus’s striking similarities to MERS-CoV. A collaborative study involving researchers from São Paulo and Ceará, alongside colleagues from Hong Kong University (HKU), revealed that the newly identified coronavirus shares about 72% genetic similarity with the MERS-CoV genome.
PhD candidate Bruna Stefanie, a lead author of the study published in the Journal of Medical Virology, highlighted the potential risk associated with the new virus. “Right now we aren’t sure it can infect humans, but we detected parts of the virus’s spike protein which suggests potential interaction with the receptor used by MERS-CoV,” she explained. The research team examined samples from 423 bats across 16 different species, ultimately discovering the new coronavirus in an insect-eating bat.
Symptoms of MERS include fever, cough, shortness of breath, diarrhea, and vomiting, with severe cases potentially leading to fatal outcomes. Currently, there is no vaccine available for MERS, raising concerns as health experts emphasize the importance of monitoring for symptoms, particularly among vulnerable populations.
The emergence of this new coronavirus serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges posed by viral infections. Since its initial discovery in 2012 in Saudi Arabia, MERS-CoV has been responsible for over 850 deaths and has spread to more than two dozen countries worldwide. With the recent findings in Brazil, experts continue to advocate for heightened surveillance and research to better understand and combat these respiratory viruses.
