No MERS Threatening Iran: Health Min.

Tehran, Oct 23, IRNA - Minister of Health Hassan Hashemi said that Iran is free from the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Corona-Virus (MERS-CoV). The Health Ministry announced on Wednesday that the news which was spread regarding the five suspected cases of the corona virus infection was about some five months ago. Currently no more such cases have been reported. Hashemi, who was accompanying President Hassan Rouhani to Zanjan, made the remarks in that northwestern province. MERS is a viral respiratory illness which was first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. It is caused by a corona virus called MERS-CoV. Those people confirmed to have acquired MERS-CoV infection developed severe acute respiratory illness including fever and cough. About 30% of people suffering the MERS-CoV infection died./end