“Spain’s Health Ministry says the country has its first case of the new respiratory virus known as MERS and the female victim is believed to have contracted the virus in Saudi Arabia,” the Associated Press reports. “A ministry statement says the Moroccan-born Spanish resident was admitted Nov. 1 to a Madrid hospital,” the news service writes, noting the woman had traveled to “Saudi Arabia in October and was diagnosed there with pneumonia.” The news service adds, “The ministry said Thursday the woman is progressing favorably and her case poses no public health threat.” According to the AP, “About 50 have died from the new virus over the past year, most in Saudi Arabia where the outbreak is centered” (11/7).