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The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia has announced two new cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), both from the city of Al Jubail in eastern Saudi Arabia. The first is a 34 year-old male reported on August 29, 2014 and the second is a 60 year-old male reported on September 8, 2014. The older man is intensive care. Notably, both of these cases are health care workers which suggests that there is another hospital outbreak of MERS in Al Jubail.   Al Jubail is located about 30 miles north of Dammam where two other MERS cases have been recently reported. These 4 cases could indicate that MERS is again active in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Links:   MOH: '1 New Confirmed Corona Case Recorded'    MOH: '1 New Confirmed Corona Case Recorded' Another Cluster of MERS cases in Saudi Arabia

  A distinctive feature of the MERS   (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) outbreak is the fact that confirmed case-patients are dominated by elderly individuals. Through February 28, 2014, the average age of a MERS-infected individual in Saudi Arabia was 52.3 years old (n=157).   A recent media report, however, suggests that the average of infected individuals is decreasing in Saudi Arabia. “A Health Ministry source, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on the condition of anonymity, said that the average age of those being infected by the [MERS]   virus is decreasing, adding that over the past four months the average age of those infected was between 35 and 40 years of age” ( link )   The statement is at variance with the data published by the Saudi Ministry of Health, although the age of infected individuals has been decreasing. Since March 1, 2014 the average age of an infected patient has only decreased to 46.8 years (n=32).   This decrease in average age is sig...