The death toll of the new SARS-like has risen in Saudi Arabia as the kingdom has now reported three more deaths, bringing the total number of deaths globally to 30.
The Ministry of Health on Thursday announced that the three deceased, ranging in age from 24 to 60, had chronic diseases, including kidney failure. It says they were hospitalised a month ago.
The ministry also disclosed a new case of the respiratory virus called MERS, bringing to 38 the number of those infected in the kingdom. It identified the afflicted person only as a 61-year-old suffering from renal failure from the Al Ahsa region where the outbreak in a health care facility started in April.
According to the World Health Organisation, WHO, the new germ, a respiratory infection, was first seen in the Middle East and sickened more than 49 people worldwide.
Most cases occurred in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan and the UAE.
There were also cases in Britain, France, Germany and Tunisia linked to travel to the Middle East, the WHO said.
