World Map of the MERS Outbreak through May 18, 2014

More than 650 cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) have been reported from around the world by official national and international public health agencies in 20 countries through May 18^th, 2014.  These countries are the highlighted countries in map below.  This is more than a three-fold increase in countries reporting MERS cases in the last year. In May of 2013, only six countries, France, Germany, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia, and the United Kingdom had officially reported MERS cases.

The next map depicts the geolocation of both imported cases and local infections of MERS in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.  The MERS cases included on this map include both confirmed and probable/suspected cases.   The size of the circles represents the relative number of MERS cases at each location.  Saudi Arabia has reported the largest number of MERS cases;  more than 80% of all the MERS cases in the world have occurred in Saudi Arabia.