Risk assessment of the introduction, spread, and zoonotic spillover of MERS-CoV Clade B in camel populations of the Nile Basin and Across Africa

Overview

The Global Early Warning System for Health Threats and Emerging Risks at the Human–Animal–Ecosystems Interface (GLEWS+) is a joint initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). Through its joint risk assessment mechanism, GLEWS+ enables the three organisations to jointly assess emerging health threats at the human–animal–ecosystem interface and provide evidence-based risk estimates. This GLEWS+ Risk Assessment (RA) aims to assess the risk of spread of MERS-CoV clade B within dromedary camel populations at the sub-regional (Nile Basin) and regional (Africa) levels, as well as the risk of zoonotic transmission from infected camels to humans in Nile Basin countries. The assessment considers virological, epidemiological, ecological, and socio-economic factors influencing virus circulation and transmission, including camel husbandry practices, pastoralist mobility, cross-border animal movements, live-animal trade, and human–camel interactions. The assessment is intended to support Members and States Parties in strengthening the prevention, detection, response, and control of emerging health threats at the human–animal–ecosystem interface.