A total of 294 patients suspected of contracting Coronavirus have been examined since January in Bahrain, but no one has tested positive, said a top official.

"All precautionary measures are being stepped up to avert any potential outbreak of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers)," Public Health director Dr Mariam Al Hajeri was quoted as saying in the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Sadiq Al Shehabi inspected public health labs and was updated on the analysis of suspected Mers cases.

He also inspected the National Centre for Influenza, which is accredited by the World Health Organisation, and was updated on work procedures.

In a statement, he said that Bahrain remains free of Mers and is in touch round-the-clock with GCC health authorities to monitor the developments of the disease.

He stressed the directives of His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa to take all precautionary measures to deal with any potential Mers outbreak.

Citing cumulative statistics, he said 537 suspected Mers samples have been tested since last year but they all tested negative.

Assistant Under-Secretary for Primary Healthcare and Public Health Dr Mariam Al Jalahma announced that a new machine for examining Mers samples would arrive in Bahrain within three weeks.

Public labs chief Amjad Al Ghanim said the WHO technical team approved all Mers test results in Bahrain. – TradeArabia News Service