SARS-Like Virus in Saudi and Qatar

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning about a new SARS-like virus, which has reportedly claimed six lives in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

The WHO said that this new virus was the same one, which was implicated in the death of a Qatar-based man in September when it had issued an international alert. "The additional cases have been identified as part of the enhanced surveillance in Saudi Arabia (3 cases, including 1 death) and Qatar (1 case)", said the WHO statement.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
SARS is a viral respiratory disease caused by SARS-associated coronavirus.

Investigations are ongoing to ascertain the origins of the virus, the infection from which results in respiratory symptoms like breathing problem, fever and coughing.

The virus belongs to the family of coronaviruses, which are communicable in nature and spread through coughing and sneezing. Health authorities are concentrating on screening people who were closely related to the infected people in the two countries.

Source-Medindia

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