Saudi hospital head sacked as MERS death toll hits 117

May 10 TOI

Saudi Arabia´s acting health minister has announced the sacking of the head of a Jeddah hospital where a spike in MERS infections among medical staff sparked panic among the public.

The move, which Adel Fakieh published on Twitter late Tuesday, came after he inspected King Fahd Hospital´s emergency department in the Red Sea city.Hours after the news, health officials announced two more deaths from the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus, bringing the toll to 117.

The victims were a 68-year-old woman in Jeddah, the kingdom´s commercial capital, and a 60-year-old man died in Medina.The Jeddah hospital was temporarily shut last month after several medics were infected by MERS.And panic at the Red Sea city´s main hospital prompted at least four doctors to resign in mid-April after they refused to treat MERS patients for fear of infection.Nearly a week later, Riyadh dismissed the health minister and appointed Fakieh, who is labour minister, to take over the health portfolio on an acting basis.Fakieh, who has repeatedly promised “transparency” over MERS, said he has replaced the head of the hospital and his assistants.

“The new team will immediately take up its duties,” he tweeted, adding that “the ministry will take all decisive measures to achieve its goals in preserving the health of members of society.ÓSaudi Arabia has reported 431 infections since MERS first appeared in its eastern region in September 2012 before spreading across the kingdom. Fakieh said last week that measures to contain the spread of MERS “will be announced in the coming days”.