revise upward the number of confirmed infections and deaths from the disease.
The surprise disclosure followed
the unexpected firing of the kingdom's deputy health minister,
heightening concerns about the country's ability to halt the spread of
the Middle Eastern respiratory virus. He was the second senior Saudi
health official to lose his job in less than two months.
A
report by the official Saudi Press Agency said authorities have
registered a total of 688 confirmed infections and 282 deaths as a
result of MERS since the virus was first identified in 2012. Of those
infected, 53 were reported to still be receiving treatment.
The
Saudi Health Ministry's most recent tally of cases listed 575 cases and
190 deaths, meaning that over 100 cases had previously gone unreported.
MERS
belongs to a family of viruses known as coronaviruses that include both
the common cold and SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, which
killed some 800 people in a global outbreak in 2003. MERS often starts
with flu-like symptoms but can lead to pneumonia, breathing problems and
in severe cases, kidney failure and death.
Dr.
Tariq Madany, who heads the country's medical advisory council, said
the revised toll was the result of a "full review" of previous cases
undertaken to better understand the virus' spread.
"The ministry is committed
to providing all the data concerning the coronavirus and putting
polices in place to protect public health," the agency quoted Madany as
saying. "Though the review showed confirmed cases that needed to be
added, we are still witnessing a decline in the number of newly
registered cases in the past few weeks."
Acting
Health Minister Adel Faqih on Monday issued an order removing his
deputy, Ziad Memish, according to a brief statement on the ministry's
website. It did not give a reason for the move.
King Abdullah sacked the previous health minister in April following a spike in reported infections.
Not
everyone who contracts the virus that causes MERS gets sick, while
others show only mild symptoms before they recover. There is no
commercially available vaccine.
Saudi
Arabia has been the epicenter for the disease. The virus has since
spread to other parts of the world, including the wider Middle East, and
parts of Europe, Asia and the United States.
Scientists
believe camels may play a role in primary infections but are unsure
exactly how the disease spreads to humans. The disease can spread
between people, but typically only if they are in close contact with one
another. Many of those infected have been health care workers.
The
World Health Organization last month said MERS does not yet constitute a
global health emergency despite a recent spike in infections, though it
continues to monitor the spread of the virus.
___
Associated Press writer Ahmed Hammad in Cairo contributed to this report.
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