Riyadh, Aug 15 (IANS): The Saudi Arabian health ministry said no case of the deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome corona virus (MERS) was reported Thursday.
As many as 733 cases have been detected in the Gulf nation since the first case was registered in 2012, MENA reported.
Out of the 733, 299 died while 396 cases recovered and 28 are still receiving treatment, the ministry said.
MERS is considered a deadly but less transmissible cousin of the SARS virus, which erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected thousands of people.
The MERS virus emerged in the Middle East in 2012 and so far cases have been reported in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, UAE, Oman, Tunisia and parts of Europe.
The Saudi government has been criticised by international health experts over its handling of the disease, which has spread to several Middle East countries, Asia, and the US.