PHOTO
27 July 2016
RIYADH: MERS has claimed two more victims in the Kingdom in span of two days, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Health on Tuesday.
The two expats, aged 44 and 27 years, are reported to have died in Najran and Buraidah, after having suffered the deadly Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). The Najran victim had a history of previous chronic diseases, while the other deceased did not have any other health complications, according to medical reports.
The ministry also cited reports of at least two patients who recovered from the disease and discharged from the hospitals, each one from Najran and Riyadh. Only one patient is currently under treatment in a hospital. With this, the number of deaths since June 2012 has risen to 608 out of a total of 1,440 MERS cases.
Hayel Al-Abdali, an infection control official at the ministry, attributed the sporadic cases of the coronavirus to the high rate of consumption of camel meat during Ramadan.
Citing reasons for MERS infection, the official said the community in general is exposed to camels, which is found to be the origin of the disease.
Some patients, he said, picked the virus and came to hospitals, where it spreads due to overcrowding in emergency departments.
He stressed the importance of taking preventative measures and taking precautions while using camel products like milk and meat, especially while cooking.
RIYADH: MERS has claimed two more victims in the Kingdom in span of two days, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Health on Tuesday.
The two expats, aged 44 and 27 years, are reported to have died in Najran and Buraidah, after having suffered the deadly Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). The Najran victim had a history of previous chronic diseases, while the other deceased did not have any other health complications, according to medical reports.
The ministry also cited reports of at least two patients who recovered from the disease and discharged from the hospitals, each one from Najran and Riyadh. Only one patient is currently under treatment in a hospital. With this, the number of deaths since June 2012 has risen to 608 out of a total of 1,440 MERS cases.
Hayel Al-Abdali, an infection control official at the ministry, attributed the sporadic cases of the coronavirus to the high rate of consumption of camel meat during Ramadan.
Citing reasons for MERS infection, the official said the community in general is exposed to camels, which is found to be the origin of the disease.
Some patients, he said, picked the virus and came to hospitals, where it spreads due to overcrowding in emergency departments.
He stressed the importance of taking preventative measures and taking precautions while using camel products like milk and meat, especially while cooking.
© Arab News 2016
