# 8571
Nine days after Egypt’s first imported case of MERS was discovered, Egyptian authorities are apparently investigating the death of a woman who last week returned from completing Umrah in Saudi Arabia.
Over the past few hours the Arabic press has been filled with numerous reports, denials, and promises of test results in the coming hours.
With the caveat that this is currently just a suspected case – two reports – the first from Reuters via Arab News.
Egypt investigates suspected MERS coronavirus death
Published — Monday 5 May 2014
ISMAILIA, Egypt: Egyptian authorities are investigating whether a 60-year-old woman who has died in the city of Port Said had the SARS-like Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). If confirmed, it would be Egypt’s first death from the virus.
The woman had recently returned from an Islamic pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, where the MERS coronavirus emerged in 2012, Helmi El-Efni, a Health Ministry official from the city on the Suez Canal, said.
A second report, from The Cairo Post. Despite the affirmative headline, test results aren’t expected until later today.
First case of death by coronavirus in Port Said
May. 05, 2014 11:30
By THE CAIRO POST
CAIRO: The first case of death by corona virus was in Port Said fever hospital, directorate of Health Affairs in Port Said declared Monday morning, Al-Shorouq reported.
The test results for woman who died on Monday and suspect of being infected with HIV corona will release within hours, sources at the Ministry of Health reported to Youm7.
Note: I’ll be away from my desk part of this afternoon, so you’ll want to check Crofsblog or FluTrackers for updates to this story.
