Saudi Arabian officials say three more people have died from a new respiratory virus related to SARS, bringing the total number of deaths in the kingdom to 24.

The Ministry of Health said on Sunday the three deceased were among 38 infected in the kingdom with the respiratory virus called MERS.

Taking precautionary measures: Saudi Arabia reports that three more have died from the MERS virus. Credit:Reuters

It says two of the three whose deaths were reported on Sunday were suffering from chronic diseases.

The World Health Organization said the new germ was first seen in the Middle East and that it had killed about 800 people in a global epidemic in 2003.

The WHO said on Saturday prior to the latest Saudi announcement that it had been informed of 51 confirmed cases of the new virus since September and 30 of those cases were fatal.

AP