RIYADH — Ten more people in Saudi Arabia have died from Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) over the past week, Health Ministry figures showed on Friday, after an international mission urged extra measures to combat the virus. The latest deaths occurred between Feb. 20 and 26, adding to a surge of cases which killed 27 people since the start of the month. Doctor Abdul Aziz Bin Saeed, who heads the center coordinating the ministry's response to MERS, warned in early February that a rise in cases typically occurs around this time of year, when there are more juvenile camels circulating. The World Health Organization (WHO) has cited the preliminary results of studies indicating that people working with camels are at increased risk of infection from the coronavirus, and young camels are particularly susceptible. But representatives of the WHO and other UN agencies who concluded a visit to the Kingdom this week said there was an urgent need for greater understanding of the “animal/human interface”. “There are so many aspects of the virus that are still unknown,” said Berhe Tekola, of the Food and Agriculture Organization. The mission urged “improving disease prevention, especially in health facilities that continue to experience avoidable infections”.
