WHO reports 150th MERS coronavirus case in Saudi Arabian woman

The World Health Organization (WHO) has been informed of an additional laboratory-confirmed case of infection with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) from Saudi Arabia, according to a Global Alert and Response issued today.

Image/Maureen Metcalfe; Azaibi Tamin

The patient is a 56-year-old woman with underlying medical conditions from the Eastern Region. She became ill on 26 October 2013 and died on 30 October 2013. She had no contact with animals, but had contact with a previously laboratory confirmed case.

Globally, from September 2012 to date, WHO has been informed of a total of 150 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including 64 deaths.

In Saudi Arabia, the country with the greatest MERS-CoV toll, the kingdom has reported 125 cases and 53 fatalities.

Common symptoms are acute, serious respiratory illness with fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. Most patients have had pneumonia. Many have also had gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea. Some patients have had kidney failure. About four out of ten  people infected with MERS-CoV have died. In people with immune deficiencies, the disease may have an atypical presentation.

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MERS Cases and Deaths,

April 2012 – Present

Current as of November 4, 2013, 9:00 AM EDT