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Saudi death toll from MERS virus rises to 186

By WTOP Staff

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia’s Health Ministry says 13 people have died over the last two weeks from the Middle Eastern respiratory virus.

The ministry says 186 people in total have died from the virus since it was discovered in 2012. The ministry said late Wednesday another 565 people had contracted the virus in Saudi Arabia.

The recent figures indicate that the rate of infections and deaths may have slightly dipped in the last two weeks after a sharp rise in infections and deaths in April and the first half of May.

MERS is part of the coronavirus family of viruses, which includes the common cold and SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome. MERS can cause symptoms including fever, breathing problems, pneumonia and kidney failure.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Emergency guide: What you should do to prepare for emergencies

By WTOP Staff
WASHINGTON — Do you know what you'd do if an emergency hits? What if you're at work, your spouse is stuck in traffic and your children are in school? There's no way to plan for every emergency, but you can make sure you're prepared for different scenarios, including making a plan for your family and building a kit of emergency supplies.
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