DHAKA: Saudi health authorities announced on Saturday two new deaths from the Mers coronavirus, raising to 111 the number of fatalities since the disease appeared in the kingdom in September 2012.

A 25-year-old man has died in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah and a woman of 69, who suffered from tuberculosis and anaemia, died in Mecca, also western Saudi Arabia, the health ministry said, reports The Straits Times.

At the same time, 35 new cases of the severe respiratory disease have been recorded, raising the number of sufferers in the Gulf state over the past two years to 396, the world’s highest tally.

On Friday, US health officials said the first case of Mers has been confirmed in the United States.

BDST: 2115 HRS, MAY 03, 2014