RIYADH — The deadly coronavirus has claimed three more lives in the Kingdom, the Ministry of Health announced Thursday bringing the total number of deaths globally to 30. The ministry said the three deceased, ranging in age from 24 to 60, had chronic diseases, including kidney failure. It says they were hospitalized a month ago. The ministry also announced 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 from the Al-Ahsa region where the outbreak in a health care facility started in April. Almost all the coronavirus cases in the Kingdom have been reported from the Eastern Province. The World Health Organization said the new germ, a respiratory infection, was first seen in the Middle East and sickened more than 50 people worldwide. Cases have been reported from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Qatar. Infections have also been detected in Germany, France, Britain and Tunisia, though in all those instances the cases originated from countries in the Arabian Peninsula. In Britain, France and Tunisia there was limited person-to-person spread from the case that introduced the virus from abroad. — Agencies
