Saudi Arabia has notified the World Health Organisation (WHO) of six new laboratory-confirmed cases with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), said a report.

The six new patients are from Riyadh region in the age group of 14 to 79 years, of which three are women. One of the victims has mild symptoms while the others are in hospital.

Three patients are contacts of previously confirmed cases with MERS-CoV, two are reported to have had no exposure to animals or a confirmed case, and there is no information on exposure of one patient, said the WHO in its report.

Globally, from September 2012 to date, WHO has been informed of a total of 136 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including 58 deaths.

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

Health care providers are advised to maintain vigilance. Recent travellers returning from the Middle East who develop SARI should be tested for MERS-CoV as advised in the current surveillance recommendations, said the WHO report.-TradeArabia News Service