What to know about the surprising MERS coronavirus cases discovered in France
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Two cases of the MERS coronavirus were identified in France this month, a surprising development for a virus typically confined to the Arabian Peninsula.
Why it matters: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), which can cause a litany of symptoms and even death, hasn't been a major concern since early in the pandemic with the arrival of the novel coronavirus.
- However, MERS caseloads have generally remained low, likely due to increased virus surveillance and infection control.
Driving the news: The French Ministry of Health confirmed a pair of MERS coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infections earlier this week among travelers who recently returned from the Arabian Peninsula.
- The two patients were diagnosed because of their symptoms and were later hospitalized in stable condition.
- The patients had been on the same trip, officials said, but no additional cases have been identified yet.
Zoom out: MERS, which was first identified in 2012, hasn't reached the global scale of SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. But the disease has been lethal, infecting thousands of people worldwide.
Here's what to know about MERS.
What is MERS?
MERS is a respiratory illness caused by a zoonotic virus that can spread from camels to people through direct contact, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Human-to-human transmission is possible, though uncommon.
- Though typical symptoms include fever and cough, the syndrome can be lethal, the CDC says.
By the numbers: There has been over 2,600 cases of MERS worldwide as of November 2025, including more than 900 deaths, per multiple global health officials.
- The World Health Organization says about 35% of reported MERS patients died.
What are MERS symptoms?
A MERS-CoV infection commonly leads to respiratory illness, with symptoms popping up in five or six days after exposure, per the CDC.
- Symptoms can arrive anywhere from two to 14 days after someone is exposed, though.
Common symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath, the CDC says.
- Diarrhea, nausea and vomiting can occur, too.
- In most cases, infected people develop pneumonia, too, the CDC says.
- Kidney failure has happened for some infected patients.
- It's possible someone infected with MERS experiences few or no symptoms at all.
Threat level: Most of those who die from MERS have had preexisting medical conditions, including diabetes, chronic lung disease, chronic heart disease, cancer or cardiovascular disease, per the CDC.
The difference between MERS and COVID
There are differences between MERS and COVID, even though they're both illnesses caused by coronaviruses and the sicknesses share common symptoms, like fever and cough.
- Generally, MERS has been limited to a few thousand individuals since it was discovered. COVID, meanwhile, caused a global pandemic with more than 700 million cases.
- The COVID infection comes from the virus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (or SARS-CoV-2).
- COVID is closer to SARS-CoV-1, a virus that was discovered more than two decades ago.
Zoom in: Researchers found that COVID-19 had a lower mortality rate compared to SARS and MERS-impacted patients, per the National Institutes of Health (NIH). And COVID was the only sickness that had an "asymptomatic" phase.
Where is MERS common in the world?
About 84% of MERS cases have happened in Saudi Arabia, per the World Health Organization.
- The country reported four cases between Sept. 2024 and Feb. 2025, including two deaths, per WHO.
- None of the infected were health workers, and only one had direct contact with a camel and its raw milk, according to the WHO.
Has there been a MERS outbreak in the U.S.?
MERS-CoV is uncommon in the United States with only two patients ever testing positive in the U.S., per the CDC.
- Both cases happened in May 2014 and were connected to travel.
- Both cases were among health workers who lived in Saudi Arabia, the CDC says.
People may be at risk if they returned or traveled to the Arabian Peninsula and worked in a health care setting or had physical contact with a camel.
- The virus can also be contracted if a person is around others who were sick in or near the Arabian Peninsula.
Worthy of your time: The CDC does not recommend U.S. travelers change any plans because of MERS cases.
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