<p>RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (BNO NEWS) -- Seven people in Saudi Arabia have been diagnosed with the new novel coronavirus (nCoV), including five people who have died of the SARS-like virus in recent days, health authorities said on Thursday. It raises the overall death toll to sixteen.

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<p>The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia said laboratory tests confirmed seven cases of infection with the novel coronavirus in the Ahsaa province in the kingdom's eastern region. Five of the victims died in recent days while the two others are being treated at an undisclosed hospital and remain in a critical condition.

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<p>The ministry said it is investigating the cases but said it did not appear the victims, who are not from the same family, had traveled recently or had been in contact with animals. It raises the global total of confirmed cases of human infection with the novel coronavirus to 24, including 16 deaths.

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<p>The World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday it urges countries to continue their surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and to carefully review any unusual patterns. "WHO is currently working with international experts and countries where cases have been reported to assess the situation and review recommendations for surveillance and monitoring," a statement said.

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<p>It had been more than a month since the last reported cases of the novel coronavirus. There were two fatal cases in late March, including a man who died in Britain after traveling to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and a 73-year-old man from the United Arab Emirates who died at a hospital in southern Germany after being flown from a hospital in Abu Dhabi.

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<p>The new coronavirus first emerged in the Middle East last year and is part of a group of viruses that causes ailments such as the common cold and SARS. Investigators have so far found no evidence of continuous human-to-human transmission, but it remains unclear how humans are being infected.

</p> <p> (Copyright 2013 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: [email protected].) </p>

If the new Bird Flu doesn't get to us first, this one probably will.

These diseases scare the crap out of me!

Half a million people die of malaria every year. Why are people not scared of this.

Half a million people die of malaria every year. Why are people not scared of this.

Because malaria isn't contagious amongst humans and there is a good chance infected people will survive, whereas these illnesses are spread by humans and cause painful messy deaths. Malaria won't shut down a public function, but a SARS like viruses can cause a virtual shut down of air travel and public gatherings.

Half a million people die of malaria every year. Why are people not scared of this.

because any strategy (bed nets, test kits, old/current/new/future medicines, future vaccines, etc) to fight against malaria are not and will never be profitable. where in the world deaths occur matter much more than the numbers because the "where" indicates financial capacity.

Half a million people die of malaria every year. Why are people not scared of this.

Because you can only get Malaria if living in an area where these types of mosquitos are found. If any new type of bird flu or this Coronavirus manages to alter their DNA enough, you could get from someone sneezing in front of you and due to airtravel, it will spread to most countries within weeks.

You can watch "Pandemic (BBC Documentary)" on Youtube but you won't like what the expert have to say, I can promise you this. I keep catching myself pushing the reality away ever since.

16 deaths out of 24

Not great survival odds.

But given that it symptoms are like a common cold at first maybe much larger numbers have been sick and not been for treatment, just got better and its not really such a potent threat as worried; I mean have they done mass testing or its just who goes to hospital or almost dead or what? Countries like Pakistan don't exactly have great health service. It could be much more widespread.

Scary stuff this. Enough to make me want to work from home for a long time.

An update is running here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/637705-sars-like-virus-kills-2-more-in-saudi-arabia-toll-now-18/

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