No cases of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers) have been registered in Bahrain, said Health Minister Sadiq Al Shehabi as he inspected the isolation ward at Salmaniya Medical Complex yesterday (April 27).

The ward has been allocated for Mers victims - in case of its occurrence in Bahrain, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

Al Shehabi said the ministry was following-up developments of the disease at the regional and international levels.

He highlighted the Premier's directives on taking precautionary measures to counter the disease.

However, he said no action can be taken against visitors at the state's ports of entry and no travel ban can be imposed against countries that have had an outbreak of the disease.

Dr Mariam Al Jalahma chaired a meeting of the anti-coronavirus disease committee to discuss the latest developments, and the Health Ministry's plans and preventive measures.

Public Health Laboratory head Amjed Al Ghanim said more than 471 cases that have been lab-tested have been negative.

The lab provides 24/7 lab services.

Saudi Arabia confirmed 26 more cases of Mers, which has killed nearly a third of sufferers, and said 10 more people have died from the disease.

The confirmations follow Egypt's announcement on Saturday that it had confirmed its first case of Mers in a man who had recently returned to the country from Riyadh, where he was working.

Saudi Arabia, where Mers was discovered around two years ago, has now had 339 confirmed cases of the virus, of which 102 have been fatal. – TradeArabia News Service