By NewsDesk  @infectiousdiseasenews

The Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health (MOH) reported this week on a new case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

Image/Maureen Metcalfe; Azaibi Tamin

The patient is a 63-year-old man from Almwaih City, Taif who had contact with camels.

This is the ninth MERS case of 2021 in the Kingdom and the 10th overall (one in the United Arab Emirates).

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a virus transferred to humans from infected dromedary camels, according to the World Health Organization.

It is a zoonotic virus, meaning it is transmitted between animals and people, and it is contractable through direct or indirect contact with infected animals.

MERS-CoV has been identified in dromedaries in several countries in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. In total, 27 countries have reported more than 2,500 cases since 2012, leading to nearly 900 known deaths due to the infection and related complications.