The Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health reported today that there have been 933 laboratory-confirmed cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including 401 deaths as of Mar. 4. That’s a case fatality rate of 43.0 percent.
Of the 933 confirmed cases, 504 have recovered.
The latest case is a 69-year-old Saudi female, non-healthcare worker from Riyadh who is symptomatic and in stable condition. She has pre-existing co-morbidities, no history of animal exposure and no contact with suspected or confirmed cases in the community but contact with suspected or confirmed cases in hospitals/clinics is under investigation.
Globally, WHO has been notified of 1030 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause a range of illnesses in humans, from the common cold to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Viruses in this family also cause a number of animal diseases.
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a strain of coronavirus that causes MERS and was first identified in 2012 in Saudi Arabia.
