MANILA, Philippines – The government said Thursday (May 22nd) that two Philippine citizens working in Saudi Arabia had died of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), AFP reported.

Foreign Affairs Department spokesman Charles Jose said their relatives had been informed and efforts were under way to bring the two bodies home.

The deaths were recorded on May 12th and 18th. The identities of the two were not revealed, to protect their relatives' privacy. Saudi health authorities this week reported that the MERS-related death toll in the kingdom was now at 173.