World Health Organization Reports Additional Cases Of Deadly Novel Coronavirus

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health informed the World Health Organization (WHO) of three additional laboratory-confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus (nCoV), according to a press release issued Monday by the UN agency.

According to the statement, two of the patients died on May 3 and one remains in critical condition.

The Saudi government is reportedly conducting ongoing investigation into the outbreak linked to a single health care facility.

Furthermore, France’s health ministry reported Wednesday that it confirmed the country’s first case of the virus in a 65-year-old man who recently returned from vacation in Dubai

Since Sept. 2012, the WHO has been made aware of a total of 30 confirmed cases of human infection with novel coronavirus globally, including 18 deaths, as of May 6.

Based on the information it’s received regarding the current situation, the WHO encourages countries to keep a watchful eye out for severe acute respiratory infections in the case of any unusual patters.

And while it is currently working with international experts and countries where cases have been reported, it does not advise special screening at points of entry nor any travel or trade restrictions in regard to the event; however, it does ask that nations report any cases of the virus.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has been working closely with the WHO as well as other partners to better understand the risk posed by the disease, genetic sequence analyses have shown that this new virus is different from any other known human coronaviruses.

Besides France and Saudi Arabia, the CDC reports that other confirmed cases of the virus have occurred in Qatar, Jordan, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates.

Thus far, there have been no reports of infection within the United States.