Saudi reports 20 new MERS cases

Riyadh : Saudi Arabia has notified the World Health Organisation (WHO) of 22 new cases of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) between June 16-18. However, at least 20 of the cases were due to a misdiagnosis in a hospital in Riyadh, according to the WHO. A 49 year-old woman, who was admitted on June 10 with unrelated symptoms, was first triaged in the emergency department. “She was then admitted to the vascular surgery ward, but MERS-CoV infection was not considered. During this time, more than 49 HCWs and patients were exposed,” the statement said.