1 Jun 2013

Coronavirus toll rises in Saudi Arabia

8:01 am on 1 June 2013

The World Health Organisation says another three people have died of coronavirus in Saudi Arabia, bringing the number of dead from the virus worldwide to 30.

The disease affects the respiratory system and symptoms include severe coughs, fever and breathing difficulties.

Coronavirus is from the same family as SARS, which killed more than 700 people in 2003, but differs from that virus by also causing rapid kidney failure.

The virus has spread from the Gulf to France, Britain and Germany, but Saudi Arabia is the most affected.

There are 39 cases and 25 deaths in the kingdom so far.

WHO has called it the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus