Saudi Arabia reports seven new cases of novel coronavirus, brings global total to 24

The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia has informed WHO of seven new laboratory confirmed cases of infection with the novel coronavirus (nCoV), including five deaths, according to a WHO update May 2.

Image/CIA

Two of the patients are being treated in an intensive care unit and are currently in critical condition.

According to a Arab News report, the five people who died of novel coronavirus infection are from the eastern governorate of Al-Ahsa.

These are the first confirmed case reports of nCoV since late March.

Preliminary investigation show no indication of recent travel or animal contact of any of the confirmed cases. The confirmed cases are not from the same family.

From September 2012 to date, WHO has been informed of a global total of 24 laboratory confirmed cases of human infection with nCoV, including 16 deaths.

The virus, technically known as human coronavirus-Erasmus Medical Centre (hCoV-EMC), was first detected in mid-2012 and is a cousin of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which killed more than 800 people when it swept out of China in 2003.

The Saudi Health Ministry said it is taking “all precautionary measures for persons who have been in contact with the infected people… and has taken samples from them to examine if they are infected.”

WHO does not advise special screening at points of entry with regard to this event nor does it recommend that any travel or trade restrictions be applied.

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