MERS Kills 56-year-old Saudi in Buraidah

MOHAMMED RASOOLDEEN

RIYADH: A 56-year-old Saudi man died of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Buraidah on Friday, bringing the total number of deaths to 591 in the Kingdom since June 2012.

According to an official from the Ministry of Health, the man was suffering from a chronic disease at the time of his admission to the hospital in Buraidah.

Patients with diabetes, renal failure, chronic lung disease, and a weak immune system are considered at high risk of infection from MERS‐CoV. Therefore, these people should avoid close contact with animals, particularly camels, when visiting farms, markets, or barn areas where the virus is known to be potentially circulating.

General hygiene measures, such as regular hand washing before and after touching animals and avoiding contact with sick animals should be adhered to.

Globally, since September 2012, WHO has been notified of 1,728 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS, including at least 624 related deaths.

MERS-CoV causes severe human infections resulting in high mortality and has demonstrated the ability to transmit between humans.

(Source: ArabNews.com)