MERS Death Toll in Saudi Hits 173

New deaths have been reported from the MERS coronavirus, which have taken the death toll to 173 in Saudi.

The health ministry said on its website that five people have died, including a 28-year-old woman in the port city of Jeddah, and a 32-year-old man in northern Tabuk.

Saudi MERS Toll Hits 160
The deaths of three people from MERS respiratory virus have taken the death toll to 160, the health authorities have announced.

A woman aged 69 died in Riyadh and a 55-year-old man died in the city of Mecca, home to Islam's holiest site which is visited by millions of pilgrims each year.

A fifth man, 59 died on Sunday in the western city of Taif.

The ministry said the total numbers of infections has reached 537 case.

MERS Death Toll Rises to 163 in Saudi Arabia
Three more fatalities from the MERS respiratory virus have been reported in Saudi Arabia, taking the death toll in the world's worst-hit country to 163.

Other nations including Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates and the United States have also recorded cases, mostly in people who had been to the desert kingdom.

MERS is considered a deadlier but less transmissible cousin of the SARS virus that appeared in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died.

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Like SARS, it appears to cause a lung infection, with patients suffering coughing, breathing difficulties and a temperature. But MERS differs in that it also causes rapid kidney failure.

Source-AFP