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By Region: Middle East

WHO confirms four more cases of Middle East virus

(Reuters) Three more people in Saudi Arabia have become infected with the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus and one has died, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday, and it also confirmed the first MERS case in Oman. In a disease outbreak update, the Geneva-based United Nations health agency said the four new Read More »

November 1, 2013
| Filed under Middle East, North America, International, and Public Health
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Polio breaks out in Syria – WHO warns it could spread

(WorldHealthOrganization) The World Health Organization confirmed 10 cases of polio in Syria Tuesday, a sobering development that shows conflict can set back decades of work that had almost eradicated the crippling and deadly virus. It’s the first confirmed outbreak of polio in Syria in 14 years, and World Health Organization officials say it can spread. Read More »

October 29, 2013
| Filed under Middle East, North America, International, and Public Health
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Policing the New Scientific Frontier of Synthetic Biology

(ForeignAffairs) Ongoing research and discoveries in the life sciences — the latest and most promising involving synthetic biology — have led to extraordinary advances that will benefit society. But criminals and terrorists could manipulate such advances to disrupt public safety and national security. Since its founding in 1923, Interpol has learned that the most effective Read More »

October 28, 2013
| Filed under Africa, Asia/Pacific, Europe, Middle East, North America, South America, South Asia, Biosafety, Bioterrorism, International, Policy & Initiatives, and Research
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Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – update

(WorldHealthOrganization) WHO has been informed of two laboratory-confirmed cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection in Saudi Arabia on 18 and 19 October 2013, and three laboratory-confirmed cases in 18 September 2013. Of the five laboratory-confirmed cases, two died. The ages of the five patients range from 35 to 83 years old; four Read More »

October 24, 2013
| Filed under Middle East, North America, International, and Public Health
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Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – update

(WHO) WHO has been informed of an additional six laboratory-confirmed cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection in Saudi Arabia. The six new patients are from Riyadh region with ages from 14 to 79 years old, of which three are women and three men. The dates of onset of the patients range from Read More »