Saudi Arabia allocates $13 mn for MERS prevention

Saudi Arabia allocated 50 million Saudi riyals (about $13 million) for the prevention of spread of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome - Corona Virus (MERS-CoV) in educational institutions, an official said.

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is viral respiratory illness first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. It is caused by a Corona Virus called MERS-CoV. Most people affected by the infection develope severe acute respiratory illness. They have fever, cough, and shortness of breath. About 30 percent of people confirmed to have MERS-CoV infection have died.

The prevention programme consists of providing health education to students and teachers, training health personnel in school clinics, and the continuous provision of personal disinfectants and antiseptic kits to all schools, Arab News quoted Sulaiman bin Nasser Al-Shehari, general manager of educational health at the Ministry of Education, as saying.

He said the plan, which was put in place during the previous academic year, includes the establishment of a fully equipped clinic in each educational institution.