A 56-year-old Saudi woman has died of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus in the Eastern Province, bringing the number of deaths in the Kingdom to 49, and 53 globally.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) said 125 cases of MERS had been reported from various parts of the Kingdom.

Five new cases were reported in the Eastern Province last week and two people died during this period, the ministry official said, adding that all the patients were suffering from some chronic disease or the other, and majority of them were above 50.

All were afflicted with the disease following contact with an infected person.

Dr. Nazreen Sherbini, specialist in infectious diseases and influenza, said coronavirus is transmitted through droplets spread by coughing and sneezing by an infected person close to them.

It is advisable for people to avoid contact with people who are infected or probable virus cases, she said.

“People should wear a protective mask that covers their nose and mouth in crowded places and follow basic health etiquette while sneezing or coughing,” said Dr. Sherbini.

She warned that they should keep away from people who have incessant coughing, sneezing and have a body temperature of more than 38 degrees celsius with running nose.

A recent study on MERS-CoV, conducted by the Ministry of Health showed that it was far more complex than it was previously understood, indicating the presence of additional sources of virus.

The study, conducted by researchers from the Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH) in collaboration with the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, the University of Edinburgh, and the University College London (UCL), showed that the genetic analysis of most MERS-CoV cases had proved that transmission of this virus was complicated.

The study analyzed the genetic sequence of some samples of this virus taken from 21 patients located in different parts of the Kingdom.