DHAKA: Saudi health authorities announced on Wednesday two new deaths from the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers) in the kingdom, where 16 more infections were also detected.

A 41-year-old man in the north-western city of Tabuk and an 88-year-old in Riyadh died of the coronavirus, bringing to 107 the total deaths since the disease appeared in the kingdom in September 2012, the health ministry said, reports The Straits Times.

At the same time, the ministry said 16 new infections nationwide have raised the total number of cases diagnosed to 361, representing the bulk of infections registered globally.

Public concern over the spread of Mers mounted earlier this month after the resignation of at least four doctors at Jeddah’s King Fahd Hospital who refused to treat patients for fear of infection.

BDST: 2032 HRS, APR 30, 2014