UAE coronavirus death toll rises to 10: minister

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The MERS coronavirus has killed 10 people and infected 68 in the United Arab Emirates since March 2013, the health minister said in comments published by local media on Wednesday, June 4.

Health Minister Abdul Rahman al-Owais gave the latest toll in comments to the national federal council, a partially-elected parliament, saying 6 UAE nationals and 4 foreigners have died from the disease, local newspapers said.

He also said 68 people have been infected since March 2013 when the country’s first case of MERS was diagnosed.

In April, health authorities in the UAE said a Filipino paramedic diagnosed with the disease in the eastern city of Al-Ain had died.

Neighboring Saudi Arabia remains the country worst hit by the virus. The kingdom’s health ministry revised its own death toll from the virus on Tuesday, June 3, from 190 to 282 people.

It said the hike was due to a “comprehensive revision” tracing patients’ files back to 2012, when the first case was diagnosed.

MERS is considered a deadlier but less transmissible cousin of the SARS virus that appeared in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, 9% of whom died.

Like SARS, it appears to cause a lung infection, with patients suffering coughing, breathing difficulties and a temperature. But MERS differs in that it causes rapid kidney failure. – Rappler.com