France confirms 2 MERS coronavirus cases in returning travelers

Two cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) have been confirmed in France in individuals who recently returned from travel abroad, according to the French Ministry of Health.

The ministry said the infections were identified after both patients developed symptoms consistent with MERS-CoV and were found to have traveled together to the Arabian Peninsula.

Health Minister Stéphanie Rist said the patients are being treated in the hospital as a precaution and that their conditions are stable.

Rist said measures have been implemented to limit the risk of transmission, including contact tracing, testing, isolation, and precautionary steps for anyone who may have been exposed.

The ministry said no secondary transmission has been detected in France. Other individuals who took part in the same trip are being monitored.

MERS-CoV is a respiratory virus first identified in 2012 and is primarily associated with transmission from camels in countries on the Arabian Peninsula. Human-to-human spread can occur, particularly in healthcare settings, but sustained community transmission is uncommon.

The virus causes severe respiratory illness in many cases, with symptoms that can include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. According to the World Health Organization, MERS has a high case-fatality rate compared to other coronaviruses, with about one-third of confirmed patients dying from the infection.

Large outbreaks outside the Middle East have been rare but significant. In 2015, South Korea experienced a major hospital-associated outbreak linked to a traveler returning from the region, resulting in 186 cases and dozens of deaths.