Update on Infections Caused by the Novel Coronavirus (MERS-CoV)

On May 7, 2013, the first case of acute respiratory infection caused by the novel coronavirus (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, MERS-CoV) was diagnosed in France. This patient had been on a tourist trip to the United Arab Emirates within 10 days prior to the onset of clinical symptoms. The patient died on May 28. Following this diagnosis, investigations identified another case of MERS-CoV among his contacts. This new virus was first identified in Saudi Arabia in September 2012 in two patients who had developed severe pneumonia in June and September 2012, respectively. Following this discovery, surveillance was established under the coordination of the World Health Organization and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control to detect any other potential cases.