There are no new cases of the the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-COV) reported in the country since the death of a man on April 13.

Health Minister Dr S Subramaniam there were no other cases received by the ministry on the spread of the disease so far.

“Only one case, repeated examinations have been carried out on other pilgrims who returned from Makkah recently and they are free of MERs-COV,” he told reporters after launching a new logo for palliative care by Hospis Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur today.

Dr Subramaniam, however, said monitoring would continue to be conducted through screening at entry points into country on pilgrims from Makkah and the Middle East.

MERS-COV was first reported in 2012 in Saudi Arabia.

On April 13, a 54-year-old man from Batu Pahat, Johor died at Sultanah Nora Ismail Hospital of severe pneumonia from MERS-COV infection.

The case was the first reported in the region.

- Bernama