Laboratory testing of patients is essential to detect outbreaks of MERS. Dr Haagmans explains why MERS testing matters, and how it differs from other SARI testing.

The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean hosted a training workshop in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, from 23 to 25 October 2018. The workshop focused on establishing a global pool of experts on Middle East respiratory syndrome, to build on regional MERS expertise and knowledge and to establish a pool of rapidly deployable experts who can respond to any future MERS outbreaks in the Region and beyond.