MERS infections continue in capital

RIYADH: The Ministry of Health announced on Friday that two more people were infected with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus.
While no deaths were announced, the virus has already killed 26 people in just two weeks, from Aug. 16 to 28, the highest spike in cases in recent times, all likely caused by transmission of the virus at Riyadh’s National Guard Hospital.
This means that since June 2012, the Kingdom has recorded 1,172 cases, 502 deaths, 606 recoveries, and 56 people under treatment at hospitals and nine at home, according to information published on the ministry’s website. The two infected people are both Saudi, a man and woman aged 50 and 68. The man is in a stable condition, while the woman is critical. There have now been 79 cases of new infections reported in Riyadh since Aug. 16, most of them from the National Guard hospital.
Meanwhile, a Filipino nurse in has been placed in isolation for suspected MERS infection.
Charles Jose, spokesman for the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, said: “Unfortunately, one new case has been discovered. This is a female nurse, age unknown, and she has been placed in isolation under observation.”
Four other Filipino nurses contracted the virus through exposure to MERS patients being treated at the time, Jose said. One of them has been discharged, one is able to communicate and the remaining two are in intensive care.
The sudden surge in deaths and new confirmed cases is a concern for the government and public especially with the annual Haj approaching. However, several people who have applied to perform the pilgrimage reportedly believe that the Health Ministry would get the latest outbreak under control.
There is also a proposal, currently under discussion with Saudi scholars and Makkah city officials, to place a ban on the slaughter of camels for this year’s pilgrimage, although pilgrims would be allowed to slaughter the animals, without direct contact, through certain organizations.