Global MERS death toll passes 200-mark

JEDDAH: The world’s total death toll from the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus has passed the 200-mark and is still going up.
As of Thursday, the cumulative global number of MERS infections since September 2012 was 661, of which 205 patients have died, data compiled from reports of the Saudi Health Ministry and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control showed.
Saudi Arabia bore the brunt of the outbreak, with the Health Ministry's count on May 23, 2014 standing at 551 cases, including 177 deaths.
A statement posted by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control on its website on Thursday said that as of May 20, the cumulative number of infections in all countries other than Saudi Arabia stood at 110, with 28 deaths.
Topping the list was the United Arab Emirates with 67 cases and 9 deaths, followed by Jordan with 9 cases and 4 deaths, and Qatar with 7 cases and 4 deaths.
Rounding up the Middle East countries with MERS cases were Oman had 2 cases, 2 deaths; Kuwait, 3 cases/1 death; Egypt: 1 case/0 deaths; Yemen: 1 case/1 death and Lebanon: 1 case/0 deaths.
In Europe, UK led with 4 cases/3 deaths, followed by Germany: 2 cases/1 death; France, 2 cases/1 death; Italy, 1 case/0 deaths; Greece, 1 case/0 deaths; and the Netherlands, 2 cases/0 deaths.
Africa had 3 cases/1 death, all in Tunisia.
The Americas had two cases, all in the United States.
In Asia, Malaysia reported 1 death and Philippines had 1 infection.
While the Philippines had only one case of infection, a number of Filipino workers in the Middle East were reported to have been among the victims, including two nurses who have died in Saudi Arabia and one in the United Arab Emirates. (See related report)