The next question is which one infected the other?

Basically the same news from the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-24901531

So the news has gone 'Mainline'!

If camels are one of the hosts does that mean MERS is less likely to travel outside of the "desert belts" - at least until it could find another host?

Saudi police in Riyadh clash with migrant workers

At least two people have been killed and scores wounded as Saudi police clashed with protesting foreign workers in a district of the capital, Riyadh.

A police statement said hundreds of people were arrested in the Manfuhah neighbourhood.

Later on Sunday, thousands of mostly African workers gathered in the capital to prepare for repatriation.

Last week police rounded up thousands of migrant workers after an amnesty linked to new employment rules expired.

Yemenis return

One of the two people killed was a Saudi while the other was unidentified, police said. About 70 others were injured and there were some 560 arrests, officials added.

However, Ethiopian Foreign Affairs Minister Tedros Adhanom said he had information that three Ethiopian citizens had been killed, one last Tuesday and two in the latest clashes.

He said Addis Ababa had formally complained to Riyadh.

"This is unacceptable. We call on the Saudi government to investigate this issue seriously. We are also happy to take our citizens, who should be treated with dignity while they are there," he said.

Police said they intervened on Saturday after foreign workers in the Manfuhah district rioted, attacking Saudi and other foreign residents with rocks and knives.

Vigilante Saudi residents in Manfuhah reportedly joined the fighting and even detained some Ethiopians.

Manfuhah is home to many migrants, mostly from east Africa.

On Sunday, witnesses said police surrounded the district while units from the National Guard and special forces were sent in.

Hundreds of African migrants reportedly surrendered to police.

A long line of buses took the migrants to temporary housing along the airport road in Riyadh.

Last Monday, the authorities began rounding up thousands of illegal foreign workers following the expiry of a seven-month amnesty for them to formalise their status.

Nearly a million Bangladeshis, Indians, Filipinos, Nepalis, Pakistanis and Yemenis are estimated to have left the country in the past three months.

More than 30,000 Yemenis have reportedly crossed to their home country in the past 10 days alone.

Four million other migrants obtained work permits before last Sunday's deadline.

Saudi Arabia has the Arab world's largest economy, but authorities are trying to reduce the 12% unemployment rate among native Saudis.

An estimated nine million migrant workers are in Saudi Arabia - more than half the workforce - filling manual, clerical, and service jobs.

I've ridden camels in North Africa on a number of occasions, and they are fairly unpleasant beasts. They spit and will bite whenever they can so I can see how it could easily be spread by saliva. I've seen many camels wearing a muzzle made from chicken wire to try and stop them biting people. 

What is going on? These people do jobs no Saudi citizen would do and they are sending millions of them home!


23,000 undocumented Ethiopians surrender to authorities

Around 23,000 illegal Ethiopian workers have surrendered to the Riyadh police, with the Saudi authorities now arranging for their repatriation, the Ethiopian ambassador told Arab News on Tuesday.
Muhammed Hassan Kabiera said the Ethiopian mission had intervened because many illegal workers were unsure about how to proceed when the amnesty ended.
“So our mission had discussions with the Saudi authorities and made arrangements to enable such citizens to hand themselves in,” the ambassador said.
Under the agreement, Kabiera said the workers would be kept at various holding centers until they could get exit visas. “We have been informed that so far about 23,000 Ethiopians have handed themselves in.”
The Ethiopian Embassy assisted 38,199 workers to correct their employment status during the amnesty period, which ended on Nov. 4, he said.
The envoy said the embassy’s officials and volunteers, with various Saudi government agencies, were working to get the workers travel documents.
“Ethiopia was one of the first countries to request an extension of the initial amnesty so that citizens would benefit and correct their status.” He said the extension “was gracefully accepted.”
However, when many workers could not rectify their status, the embassy began preparations for them to go home.
Referring to the incident in Manfouha on Saturday, where three people including a Saudi was killed, the envoy said it was unfortunate that clashes occurred between some Ethiopian nationals and Saudi youths. He sent his condolences to the relatives of those who lost their lives.
He said the clashes occurred because the illegal workers were frustrated they did not have a way to surrender to the police. They then took to the streets to voice their concerns, which led to clashes with some youths in the neighborhood.
“Such confrontations and clashes are unacceptable.” He said the safety and human rights of all people should be respected.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/476321