Four more MERS Coronavirus cases reported from the Middle East, brings global total to 155

There has been four additional Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) cases reported from news agencies and health officials from three Middle Eastern countries–Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Image/W123 at Wikimedia Commons

According to a Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health news release Thursday (computer translated), the Kingdom has reported two new cases of MERS-CoV.

The patients include a 72-year-old male resident of Riyadh who has several underlying chronic conditions. He is hospitalized in stable condition and is receiving treatment in the ICU.

The other Saudi case is in a previously healthy 43-year-old from Jeddah who is hospitalized in an ICU.

In addition, Saudi Arabia’s neighbors to the southeast,  Qatar and the UAE reported one new case each.

In Qatar, the Supreme Council of Health (SCH) said a a 48-year-old resident of the country was diagnosed with the virus, according to a Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) report today.

The Emirates News Agency reported Thursday that the case in the UAE is a 75-year-old Omani national who was visiting the country. He is currently hospitalized in the intensive care unit for treatment.

These four new cases and the imported case reported from Spain on Wednesday, brings the global total to 155 cases. The death toll remains at 64.

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