Riyadh sets up three centers to deal with Mers outbreak

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia has set up three centres to treat and isolate patients with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome as the number of infected cases climbed to 323.

The facilities are located at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Hospital in Riyadh, King Abdullah Medical Complex in Jeddah, and Dammam Medical Complex in the Eastern Province, the official Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday, citing acting Health Minister Adel Faqih. More centres will be opened in other parts of the country.

“This step comes as part of an emergency plan aiming to contain the spread of the virus,” said Faqih, according to Saudi Press Agency.

At least 94 people in the kingdom have died from Mers since it emerged in September 2012, according to the Saudi Ministry of Health. The US-based Centres for Disease Control and Prevention says the viral respiratory illness can be spread between people in close contact and has also been found in camels.

Egypt reported its first case of Mers on Saturday through state-run news agency Ahram Gate. It said an Egyptian man was admitted to hospital after arriving from Riyadh, where he had been living for four years.