JEDDAH: The Ministry of Agriculture has announced that 3.3 percent, or 7,700 out of the 233,000 camels in the Kingdom, are infected with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus.
Forty survey teams and 200 veterinarians examined 32,000 samples from 8,000 animals, with results showing that 81.5 percent of camels are immune to the virus, while 3.3 percent carry or spread it, said Ibrahim Qassem, director general of the ministry’s livestock department.
The ministry held a press conference in Riyadh on Monday about how it was fighting MERS. There was undisputed proof that camels pass the virus to humans, said Qassem, a local publication reported on Tuesday.
Qassem reportedly said research has confirmed the relationship between camels and the virus, but it was likely debate would continue on the issue. He said the ministry was currently working on determining how the virus infects animals initially, including the possibility that they are infected by other animals.
Qassem said that a fatwa was not required to kill animals infected with the virus. If an animal is infected, then the country’s laws allow the government to slaughter it. “The regulations include a list of diseases that may require us to dispose of the infected animal to protect human health or livestock in general,” said Qassem.
Meanwhile, primary school number 84 in Riyadh saw only 20 students turn up for classes after two students were reportedly in contact with a relative who died from the virus.
On Tuesday, the Health Ministry announced three more cases of infections but there were no deaths. A total of 627 people have now died from MERS in the country, out of 1,223 cases.
7,700 camels carry MERS virus
7,700 camels carry MERS virus
KSrelief, UN highlight key goals in 2026 humanitarian plan
- Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah meets UN Yemen coordinator for aid reviews
- German lawmakers praise KSrelief for humanitarian projects globally
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief held a briefing session at its headquarters in Riyadh on the UN’s 2026 Global Humanitarian Overview, which is a diagnosis of the support needed by communities in crisis across the world.
The session was organized in cooperation with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.
The session included senior officials from KSrelief and the UN, as well as representatives from Saudi government agencies and nonprofit organizations.
The participants discussed mechanisms for preparing the 2026 Global Humanitarian Overview and highlighted key differences from previous years.
The participants also addressed the need for funding in crisis-hit areas including Yemen, Sudan, Gaza, the Syrian Arab Republic, and Afghanistan.
These measures aim to strengthen focus on critical priorities, enhance the efficiency of humanitarian responses, support localization efforts, and promote work based on humanitarian principles.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, supervisor-general of KSrelief, met with UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen Julien Harneis in Riyadh.
During the meeting, they discussed relief and humanitarian affairs, as well as updates on projects in Yemen. Harneis praised the efforts provided by the Kingdom through KSrelief to support communities in Yemen.
Separately, Al-Rabeeah also held a meeting with Sheikh Mohammed Belal, managing director of the UN Common Fund for Commodities, to discuss relief issues.
Belal commended Saudi Arabia for assisting those affected around the world, highlighted the center’s strong international reputation.
Meanwhile, a delegation from Germany’s parliament, headed by Alexander Radwan, a member of the nation’s foreign affairs committee, visited KSrelief’s headquarters in Riyadh.
During the visit, the German lawmakers met with several KSrelief officials to discuss relief efforts.
The German officials praised KSrelief for planning and implementing relief projects worldwide, and highlighted the agency’s reputation globally in the field.
