MERS-CoV Continues to Smoulder in Saudi Arabia

MERS-CoV Continues to Smoulder in Saudi Arabia The highly lethal coronavirus that causes the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) continues to cause more deaths and illness in Saudi Arabia, where this virus was first detected in June last year. Although people have...

MERS-CoV and the Hajj and Umrah Pilgrimages

MERS-CoV and the Hajj and Umrah Pilgrimages The annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, is expected to draw about 3 million pilgrims when it occurs in the 3rd week of October. In addition, the Umrah pilgrimage, which can occur at any time of the year, often...

H7N9 Avian Influenza Update

H7N9 Avian Influenza Update As of May 9, 2013, there were 131 confirmed cases of the new bird flu H7N9 in China. Of these, 32 patients have died. It appears that the number of reported new cases is declining. There is speculations that this decline may be due to the...

Novel Coronavirus (NCoV) Update

Novel Coronavirus (NCoV) Update There are fresh reports of an additional four laboratory-confirmed cases with infection of the novel coronavirus (NCoV) in Saudi Arabia. This news follows reports that the new highly fatal coronavirus recently discovered in the Middle...