An additional eight laboratory-confirmed cases of the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (Mers-CoV) infection have been reported in Saudi Arabia, said the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Globally, from September 2012 to date, WHO has been informed of a total of 102 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection, including 49 deaths.

Based on the current situation and available information, WHO encouraged all member States to continue their surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and to carefully review any unusual patterns.

They called upon the health officals to conduct virus tests on all recent travellers returning from the Middle East who develop SARI. Specimens from patients’ lower respiratory tracts should be obtained for diagnosis where possible, they said. - TradeArabia News Service