RIYADH: Three citizens, aged above 65, and a 32-year-old expatriate have died of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in Riyadh raising the death toll to 471 in Saudi Arabia since June 2012, the Ministry of Health said on Tuesday.

It also reported three new cases, including a 31-year-old female expatriate being treated in Riyadh.

Ministry spokesman Dr. Khalid Al-Mirghalani said a 24-hour hotline, 937, has been set up to help people on any issue related to MERS.

The official said that three major hospitals in Dammam, Riyadh and Jeddah have been designated as special centers to treat MERS patients. The ministry has also assigned 20 more well-equipped hospitals in all regions to care for MERS patients.

According to the ministry, the new MERS cases have brought the total number in the Kingdom to 1,063. It includes 471 deaths, 583 patients who have recovered from the illness and nine patients currently taking treatment in Saudi hospitals.

Among the three new patients, two are critically ill in Riyadh. One of them is a 50-year-old citzen from Najran.

Six of the seven cases were from Riyadh which included four deaths in the capital.