The Centre for the Control and Prevention of Diseases (KEELPNO) announced the first case of MERS coronavirus infection that has been confirmed in a Greek who arrived from Saudi Arabia.

According to the announcement of the Centre, the 69-year-old patient, permanently residing Saudi Arabia, is in a stable condition and hospitalized in a special unit of respiratory diseases.

KEELPNO has taken all required actions for tracking and monitoring the patient’s contacts, both during his flight to Athens and his stay in Greece. The Centre also stressed that all measures for the prevention and control of the disease, as well as safeguarding public health have been taken.

MERS-Coronavirus is a new strain of the coronaviruses family and was found pathogenic for humans in 2012. Coronaviruses include both viruses causing common cold and those causing SARS syndrome.

The Greek patient is the 10th case of MERS infection traced in the EU.