Saudi Arabia on Sunday reported two more Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus cases and one death.

The Health Ministry said that after adding the two new cases and one death, the number of MERS coronavirus cases has risen to 531 since the first case was registered in 2012. That includes 169 deaths.

The two new cases are from Jeddah and Riyadh, while the death was reported in Taif, the ministry said.

Despite some tough measures taken by the newly appointed health minister to control the virus' transmission, new cases and deaths are reported on a daily basis.

According to Arab News today, scientists who lead the fight against the deadly virus said that the next critical front is to understand how the virus behaves in people with milder infections, and to find out who might spread the illness unaware of having it.

Source: Xinhuanet