4 Filipinos confined for MERS in Saudi Arabia

MANILA, Philippines - Four Filipinos have been confined in Saudi Arabia for contracting the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Corona Virus (MERS-CoV), the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh confirmed on Monday.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), two female Filipino nurses aged 29 and 32 are confined in the intensive care unit.

Meanwhile, the other two - a 55-year-old male and a 50-year-old female - are in isolation and under observation.

The four Filipino patients all work in the same hospital and contracted the virus upon exposure to MERS patients.

"Our embassy was assured by the hospital management that they will be given the best possible treatment," DFA spokesperson Charles Jose said in a press briefing.

Jose called on overseas Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia to take precautionary measures against the disease.

Last July, the Department of Health confirmed the second case of MERS in the country. A foreigner who arrived from Dubai tested positive for the virus and went under isolation and treatment at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.