DOHA
Saudi Arabia on Saturday reported four deaths from the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), commonly known as coronavirus.
In a statement, the Health Ministry said the new fatalities wring to 111 the death toll from the virus since it first hit in the Gulf country in September 2012.
The ministry also said 18 more people have contracted the virus on Friday, bringing total infections in Saudi Arabia to 396 since September 2012.
The online newspaper Sabq, meanwhile, said a journalist was among the four people, who had died from the virus.
The Saudi Health Ministry, however, did not confirm the death of the journalist because of the virus.
Along with Saudi Arabia, MRES has been reported in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, Jordan and Oman.
MERS, for which no known cure is available, destroys the lungs and kidneys.
It is presumed that long-term physical contact can lead to infection.
By Ahmed al-Masri
englishnews@aa.com.tr
