Riyadh governor orders anti-MERS push

Health authorities are set to intensify an awareness program on the dangers of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), targeting camel breeders, schools, malls and King Khaled International Airport.
Riyadh Gov. Prince Turki bin Abdullah issued the directive during a meeting with senior health officials including Adnan Al-Abdulkareem, director general of the region's health department.
Al-Abdulkareem thanked Prince Turki for his concern and highlighted the various efforts underway to prevent the virus from spreading.
He said that treatment of people infected with the virus is taking place at the newly built Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Hospital, designated by Acting Health Minister Adel Fakeih as the region's MERS center.
Al-Abdulkareem said that the directorate has formed 20 teams to conduct awareness sessions at schools, malls and King Khalid International Airport, to highlight its efforts to fight the virus, including how it spreads and preventative measures.
He said the teams are using print, broadcast and social media to spread the message.
The coronavirus remains a significant threat to Saudi Arabia, the health ministry said recently after a series of cases in the western city of Taif. Health officials are "particularly concerned about breaking the chain of transmission in Taif, where a cluster was identified in September," the ministry said.
Primary cases in Taif involved people who had unprotected contact with camels and then came into contact with others, including healthcare workers, it added.
"The situation in Taif is still under investigation and we expect to see more cases in the coming days and weeks," Anees Sindi, deputy commander of the health ministry's command and control centre which coordinates the response to MERS, was quoted as saying in a recent report.