DUBAI (Sputnik) — The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome is a viral respiratory disease caused by the MERS-coronavirus. The infection was first identified in 2012 in Saudi Arabia and subsequently spread to other countries.
The statement released by the Ministry of Health on Tuesday, confirmed the death of a 71-year-old man living in the country’s capital Riyadh. The statement also reported about 9 other registered cases of the MERS. Therefore the number of infected people reached 1115 and the number of dead reached 480 since 2012.
There is currently no approved vaccine for MERS. People with chronic illnesses or a weak immune system are at a higher risk of contracting the viral respiratory disease.
