Saudi-American medical team isolate new strand of coronavirus

   A Saudi-American research team managed to isolate a new strand of the coronavirus, said the Saudi Health Ministry here Thursday. A statement by the ministry indicated that 732 samples were taken from 96 live-bats representing seven different spices, adding that one of the samples showed a 100 percent compatibility with the new strand of coronavirus, known as the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). The study also showed various forms of the virus in 28 percent of the gathered samples, said the ministry which noted that the results pointed out that bats, which are carriers of several diseases including SARS, are also suspects of spreading the infamous (MERS-CoV). There was a possibility that other animals could be carrying the disease, said the statement, adding that more tests were needed to determine if the new strand of the coronavirus was in other animals. Two cases of the coronavirus were announced last Monday by the Saudi health authorities. There are 76 cases of which 39 people were pronounced dead.