03 May 2013 (10:41 UTC-07 Tango)/22 Jumada t-Tania 1434/13 Ordibehest 1391/24 Ding-Si (3rd month) 4711

A new SARS like virus is attacking people in Saudi Arabia.  It was first discovered last year, and is sometimes called Saudi, or London, SARS.  It’s a new (novel) type of coronavirus (aka London 1, nCoV).

Since September 2012 there have been 24 lab confirmed human cases, and 16 deaths, in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan and the United Kingdom.  In the past week Saudi Arabia reported seven new cases, and five deaths. Death is usually caused by kidney (renal) failure.

The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia says they have not been able to find an origin, or connection, to the outbreak.