Saudi announces 56th MERS death
Experts are struggling to understand the virus, which has no vaccine
The Saudi health ministry announced Saturday a new MERS death, raising to 56 the number of people killed by the coronavirus in the country with the most fatalities.
The victim was a 73-year-old Saudi man, who suffered from chronic illnesses, the ministry said on its website.
It also reported three new cases of the virus.
They are two foreigners working in health care who had been exposed to patients suffering from the virus and a 53-year-old Saudi man who is also chronically ill and in intensive care.
The ministry said 136 cases have been reported in the country since the virus appeared more than a year ago.
Experts are struggling to understand the disease, for which there is no vaccine.
It is considered a deadlier but less-transmissible cousin of the SARS virus that erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died.
Also Read
-
MERS virus found in camels in Qatar, linked to human spread
Human cases of MERS have so far been reported in several countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, United Arab Emirates and Oman News -
Saudi says first camel tests positive for MERS virus
The Saudi government said Monday that a camel has tested positive for MERS, the first case of an animal infected with the coronavirus that has killed ... Middle East -
Muslim pilgrims not worried about deadly MERS virus
Mohammed Shuaib wears a mask as he walks amid a flood of Muslims arriving for the hajj, but his wariness about the deadly MERS virus that has struck ... Hajj 2013
