Okaz/Saudi Gazette BURAIDAH — The Ministry of Health (MOH) officials confirmed 13 new Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) cases in the past three days, nine of them in Buraidah, where the ministry is investigating a hospital cluster. The MOH announced four MERS-CoV cases on March 5, one on Sunday, and eight on Monday. Three of the cases on March 5 and six cases reported on Monday were in Buraidah, where officials have established a command center to combat the virus. A ministry source said all patients were located in Qassim Province. "Six of the patients are from Buraidah, one from Al-Ras and the other is from Al-Zilfi," said the source. "The ministry also reported four of the patients and doctors in King Fahd Hospital in Buraidah contracted the virus including a doctor of chest diseases," the source said. The MERS patient in Al-Rass is a 68-year-old Saudi man who had contact with camels. The case in Al-Zulfi involves a 68-year-old Saudi woman whose case is also listed as "primary" — meaning not contracted from a known patient. The cases in Buraidah include two in foreign male health care workers, aged 62 and 36. Two patients also contracted the disease in a hospital, a 76-year-old Saudi man and an 81-year-old Saudi man. A 42-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman round out the latest Buraidah cases. On Sunday, the MOH confirmed MERS-CoV in a 49-year-old male Saudi health care worker in Riyadh whose case is listed as primary. He had contact with camels and is in stable condition. On March 5, the MOH noted that a 49-year-old male expatriate health care worker was infected with MERS-CoV. He is in stable condition. The agency also listed three cases in Saudi men in Buraidah, aged 23, 82, and 70, with the former two in critical condition and the latter listed as stable.
