The number of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) cases reported out of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia has spiked since the beginning of the month, with the Ministry of Health reporting two dozen cases in the Saudi capital in the past nine days.

According to an Avian Flu Diary post, a few cases are attributed to possible camel exposure, but most have involved human-to-human transmission – mostly in family clusters, or in healthcare environments.

Since June 2012, Saudi Arabia has reported 1082 MERS cases, including 473 deaths.