RIYADH: The Ministry of Health (MoH) reported two new deaths from Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Buraidah and Jeddah on Wednesday.

Those who died were an 82-year-old man in Buraidah in the Al-Qassim region and a 64-year-old expatriate in Jeddah.

Since June 2012, 1,330 MERS cases have been reported throughout the Kingdom which include 562 deaths and 21 patients currently taking treatment for the virus infection. During the past seven days, a total of 20 new cases of virus emerged, which include the two deaths.

The Ministry of Health has warned people in Qassim, which has recorded several incidents of the disease this week, to exercise caution due to the presence of MERS-CoV. As a precautionary measure, the MoH has alerted all hospitals in the region to be vigilant about the spread of the virus. They have been requested to report them to the ministry after following preliminary regulations on admitting such patients.