2012 Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus outbreak

Since 2012, an outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus has affected several countries, primarily in its namesake, the Middle East. The virus, which causes Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), is a novel coronavirus that was first identified in a patient from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on June 6, 2012.

Sporadic cases, small clusters, and large outbreaks have been reported in 24 countries, with over 1,000 cases of the virus and over 400 deaths, up to the middle of 2015.