Saudi Arabia Reports New Mers Case In 2025: What Travelers Need To Know About Middle East Respiratory Syndrome

Published on August 9, 2025 |

The WHO Eastern Mediterranean Office (WHO EMRO) has announced a caller lawsuit of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) successful Saudi Arabia. By August 2025 nan region has reported 11 cases of MERS this year. Saudi Arabia reported 2 deaths arsenic well.

This latest lawsuit serves arsenic a reminder for travelers to enactment informed astir wellness risks while visiting nan region, peculiarly those readying to prosecute successful activities involving camels. It is important for visitors to beryllium alert of nan virus’s transmission and return preventive measures while traveling.

MERS Virus: A Brief Overview

MERS, known arsenic Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, is an unwellness caused by a viral respiratory disease, a type of coronavirus. The illness was first recovered successful nan twelvemonth of 2012 successful Saudi Arabia. As of now, location person been 2,639 confirmed cases pinch 957 deaths worldwide. The illness is majorly contracted done adjacent interaction pinch infected dromedary camels , though location person been a fewer cases wherever humans person infected humans, mostly successful wellness attraction facilities.

In nan discourse of Saudi Arabia, nan microorganism remains a important interest for nationalist health, but nan wide consequence to visitors is considered low.

What Makes MERS Dangerous for Travelers?

MERS spreads rather easy wrong nan healthcare system, particularly successful nan lawsuit of hospitals wherever infected patients are treated. Although nan wide organization is astatine minimal consequence of exposure. The WHO does authorities that nan dispersed of MERS from personification to personification successful nan population, particularly successful Europe and different parts of nan world, is highly unlikely.

Exposure to camels is simply a awesome consequence factor, and arsenic Saudi Arabia has a important camel organization of astir 2 million, travelers should beryllium cautious. While 20% of MERS cases person been linked to camel contact, nan WHO reports nary instances of visitors contracting MERS from camel rides.

For astir visitors, nan likelihood of contracting nan illness is extremely low, but it remains basal for travelers to enactment vigilant.

Who Is At Risk?

While nan consequence of contracting MERS is slim, travelers who travel into nonstop interaction pinch camels aliases spell to regions pinch camels arsenic portion of nan section life should workout caution. The threat for visitors chiefly comes from camel-associated activities for illustration riding camels, dealing pinch camel milk, aliases coming successful interaction pinch camel meat. Appropriate cleanliness measures should beryllium taken to minimize nan risk.

Additionally, those pinch pre-existing respiratory conditions aliases weakened immune systems whitethorn look higher risks if they are exposed to nan virus.

Current MERS Situation successful Saudi Arabia

As of August 2025, Saudi Arabia has reported 11 confirmed cases of MERS pinch 2 fatalities successful nan past 2 deaths. The Saudi Arabian authorities has nan camels nether surveillance and monitors nan business continuously camels successful nan desert. Although nary recreation bans are successful place, nan authorities urges visiting visitors to support individual hygiene successful distant regions.

It’s important to statement that MERS cases person been consistently reported successful nan region, though location has been nary important outbreak among tourists. The WHO remains actively progressive successful monitoring and responding to imaginable MERS cases to guarantee nationalist safety.

Preventive Measures for Travelers

Travelers visiting regions for illustration Saudi Arabia are advised to travel these cardinal preventive measures to debar nan consequence of MERS:

• Avoid nonstop contact pinch camels, camel milk, aliases camel meat.
• Wash hands frequently and usage sanitizers erstwhile necessary.
• Wear masks erstwhile successful adjacent interaction pinch group who whitethorn beryllium sick aliases successful crowded settings.
• Seek medical attention if experiencing flu-like symptoms specified arsenic fever, cough, aliases trouble breathing.

These precautions will importantly little nan chances of contracting MERS aliases different respiratory infections while traveling.

MERS Vaccine Development: What’s nan Progress?

Right now, location is nary MERS vaccine that is approved, but location are immoderate being tested. One of nan candidates that is astir promising is nan VTP-500 vaccine which has already completed Phase I objective tests successful nan UK and Saudi Arabia. Although it’s still successful nan testing phase, it provides a ray of dream towards prevention successful nan future.

Travelers should enactment updated connected nan advancement of these trials, particularly those readying longer stays successful nan region.

Impact of MERS connected Tourism successful Saudi Arabia

The astir caller MERS outbreaks person sparked fears successful visitors visiting Saudi Arabia which successful nan past fewer years has seen tourism boom. But because of nan measurement nan microorganism is transmitted, nan WHO has stated that nan consequence is still debased to nan wide population. Thus, nan effect that MERS will person connected tourism is minimal.

Saudi authorities proceed to guarantee visitors that wellness and information stay apical priorities, and no reports propose that tourism activities, specified arsenic camel rides, are linked to MERS infections.

Bottom Line: Should Travelers Be Concerned?

MERS is still a captious viral infection, but for travelers to Saudi Arabia and different countries successful nan region, nan risks are rather low. Tourists are capable to bask their travels pinch nan exertion of basal hygiene practices and vigilance towards hygiene.

To destruct being caught disconnected guard, support search health-focused world entities for illustration nan WHO to ever beryllium updated.

If Saudi Arabia aliases different Middle Eastern countries are successful your bucket list, past it is ever a smart move to not place specified protective measures. Do not hide that being cautious successful a definite region is ever amended to bask nan acquisition without nan worries of unnecessary fears.