Ebola outbreak: MSF says new Liberia tactics needed

New rapid response tactics are needed to defeat the Ebola virus in Liberia, according to the charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF).

More than 6,600 people have been infected in the country, but figures suggest the number of new infections has started to fall.

WHO: No Saudi travel curbs over coronavirus

The World Health Organization (WHO) is still abiding by its decision to not impose any restrictions on personal travel or commercial movement to and from the Kingdom, despite a recent report of the Ministry of Health that 12 more cases of MERS coronavirus have been detected. Five of the cases resulted in death between Oct. 18 and 26. 

"Bait" for bacteria could replace antibiotics

Due to the increase of antibiotic resistance, research on alternative medications is running at full capacity. An international group of researchers under Swiss leadership has developed a type of "bait" for bacteria that could make it possible to combat them without using antibiotics. The study was presented in "Nature Biotechnology".

Ministry Monitoring Coronavirus Cases

RIYADH — The Ministry of Health is continuing its care and close monitoring of MERS-coronavirus cases arising from the cases detected recently in Taif area. These include five confirmed cases in Riyadh that started as direct infection from a patient who came to the city from Taif area last month.

‘MERS is active, requires full alert’

The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) is on the increase in Riyadh after an infected patient traveled from Taif to the capital last month, the Ministry of Health announced Thursday. 

“MERS-CoV is active and we need to be on full alert,” said Anees Sindi, deputy commander of the Command and Control Center (CCC), adding that health care workers can reduce the risk of infection by continuing to take precautions to protect themselves and their patients.

UN chief defends returning Ebola aid workers

UN chief Ban Ki-moon has said discrimination against aid workers who return home from the Ebola crisis in West Africa is "unacceptable".

Strict quarantine rules are hampering aid efforts when more health workers are needed in order to deal with the crisis, he told BBC News in Nairobi.

Ministry Admits MERS Remains a Threat

The Ministry of Health admitted Wednesday that the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) remains a significant threat to public health in the Kingdom, particularly in Taif.

Health Minister Reviews Response to MERS-CoV in Taif

His Excellency Eng. Adel M. Fakeih, the acting Minister of Health, conducted an urgent inspection Sunday of King Faisal and King Abdulaziz hospitals in response to a MERS-CoV cluster in Taif.
 
The Ministry’s Command & Control Center has confirmed nine MERS-CoV cases in the Taif area over the last two weeks. 
 
“The concerning rate of infection in Taif suggests we may see additional cases of MERS-CoV there in the coming days,” Minister Fakeih said. “This is a reminder of the dangers to the public of unprotected contact with camels and the need for healthcare workers to follow proper infection-control procedures.”

Ministry takes countermeasures to curb MERS infections in Taif

The Ministry of Health (MOH)  has taken a host of prompt and strong measures in a bid to curb the spread of MERS-CoV virus in the summer resort city of Taif.

This was announced Monday by the ministry, which confirmed through the MOH Command & Control Center, headed by Acting Minister of Health Adel Fakeih that nine cases of the virus infection were found in Taif area over the last two weeks.

Urine Test for HPV Works Well, Analysis Finds

It's a less invasive way to spot virus linked to cervical cancer; may increase screening rates, researchers say