As of 30 June 2015, more than 1350 cases of laboratory
confirmed Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus
(MERS-CoV) have been reported to WHO. The virus
appears to be circulating widely throughout the Arabian
Peninsula, and the largest number of MERS-CoV cases has
been reported by Saudi Arabia. In April 2014 there was a
sharp increase in the number of cases reported, notably in
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates largely owing to
healthcare-associated outbreaks. In May 2015, another sharp
increase in the number of cases was recorded due to a large
healthcare-associated outbreak.