2 December 2013 - On 1 December 2013 WHO was informed of an additional three laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in the United Arab Emirates

The three cases belong to a family in Abu Dhabi – a mother (32 years old) who died 2 December 2013*, father (38 years old) and son (8 years old). The earliest onset of illness was 15 November 2013. The father is in a critical condition in hospital. The mother and father had no travel history, no contact with a known confirmed case and no history of contact with animals. While hospitalized, the mother gave birth to a newborn child. The 8 year old son, who has mild respiratory symptoms, was detected from epidemiological investigation of family contacts, and is being kept in hospital isolation. Further investigations into close contacts of the family, the newborn baby, and healthcare workers are on-going.

Additionally, two previously laboratory-confirmed cases from Qatar died on 15 and 21 November 2013**.

Globally, from September 2012 to date, WHO has been informed of a total of 163 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including 71 deaths.
[link to www.who.int]