GENEVA (Reuters) - Health authorities in the United
Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have reported six new
cases of the SARS-like coronavirus, the World Health
Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.
The latest infections of four women and two men aged
between 26 and 42 bring the global total to 88 cases,
including 45 deaths, the United Nations agency said
in a statement.
Five of the six new cases were health workers and the
other was a man who came in close contact with
someone who had been infected with the disease,
which is known as Middle East respiratory syndrome
coronavirus, or MERS, WHO said.
Millions are expected to travel to Mecca in Saudi
Arabia in October for the haj pilgrimage. Saudi
authorities have cut the number of visas this year,
citing safety concerns over expansion work at the
main mosque site.
The WHO is drawing up advice on travel in relation to
coronavirus, to be issued in coming days.
It urged health care providers to be vigilant for severe
acute respiratory infections and test any recent
travellers from the Middle East suffering from such
infections for MERS.
The global health body has set up an emergency
committee of independent experts on MERS, who said
on Wednesday it was not a "public health emergency
of international concern" for the time being.
The committee can make recommendations on travel
and trade restrictions, increased disease surveillance
and exchange of data.
Two of the new coronavirus cases in Abu Dhabi and
both cases in Saudi Arabia displayed mild symptoms.
The other two in Abu Dhabi had no symptoms of the
disease.
Cases have also been found in Jordan, Qatar, the
United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, Britain, France, Italy
and Germany.


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