Saudi Suspends Leaves of Health Workers in Heightened Effort to Combat MERS
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has ordered a three-month suspension of leaves for all health workers at departments responsible for combating the spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), local media reported on Thursday.
The decision came amid a surge in MERS corona virus cases, which added 27 new ones and five deaths in the previous week alone, Okaz reported.
The spokesman of the Health Ministry, Khalid Margalani, told the newspaper that there is a proposal to suspend leaves for all staffers dealing with the corona virus until the end of the flu season.
As of Wednesday, Saudi Arabia has registered 897 cases of MERS corona virus infections, of which 377 people have died, according to the latest figures available on the website of the Health Ministry.