DOHA: A 61-year-old expatriate who came to Qatar looking for a job a few months ago has tested positive for the deadly corona virus-Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), the Supreme Council of Health (SCH) said yesterday.
This is the third confirmed case of MERS in the country involving an expatriate. Six Qataris had been infected earlier, of whom three died. A 48-year-old expat was reported infected last week.
The new case was confirmed during tests at the specialised laboratory at Hamad Medical Corporation and the victim remains admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. It was not known whether he contracted the disease from someone infected with the virus, SCH said.
All those who came into contact with the person were also tested but preliminary results were negative, said SCH.
Kuwait, meanwhile, reported its second case involving a citizen who just returned from abroad, the health ministry said, adding the 52-year-old was in a stable condition. Media reports said the patient had returned from Saudi Arabia.
The announcement came hours after Kuwait reported its first case involving a 47-year-old Kuwaiti man who is still in critical condition.
The ministry said the latest case was not related to the first patient and both have been isolated at the Infectious Diseases Hospital. Their relatives have also been examined.
In Riyadh, the Ministry of Agriculture confirmed that it had put eight camels in confinement. They are suspected of being infected by the virus, following initial laboratory tests.
The ministry said two medical teams had been set up to test the camels whose owner is a Saudi.
The camels will remain isolated until further tests are completed. Results will be announced in a few days. The Ministry of Health earlier said a 43-year-old Saudi from Jeddah was infected with virus by a camel.
It said all people and livestock who were in direct contact with the man had been checked. The ministry also took samples from the surrounding environment of the infected, including the camels on his property, where tests showed positive results.
Earlier, a team of international researchers said that Arabian camels might be the bearer of the new coronavirus.
The Peninsula/Agencies
