Kingdom reports 50 more deaths and 2,945 additional coronavirus recoveries
The number of coronavirus cases in Saudi Arabia exceeded 200,000 on Friday following a rise in new infections over the recent weeks.
The Saudi Ministry of Health reported 4,193 new cases on Friday, taking the total to 201,801. The ministry also said that 2,945 cases have recovered from the deadly infection, raising the total number of cases that have recovered in the Kingdom so far since the outbreak of the pandemic to 140,614.
Meanwhile, a total of 50 COVID-19 patients have died, bringing to 1,802 the total deaths due to the virus in the Kingdom.
Of the new cases, Dammam registered the highest number of cases with 431, followed by Al Hafouf with 399 and Riyadh with 383.
Meanwhile, Taif, Al Mobarraz Mecca, Jeddah and Al Qattif recorded 306, 279, 210, 169 and 168 new infections respectively.
The country of 30 million people recorded its first COVID-19 infection on March 2. Health authorities said in April the virus could eventually infect between 10,000 and 200,000 people in Saudi Arabia. The kingdom topped 50,000 cases on May 16.
Saudi Arabia’s numbers are the highest in the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), followed by Qatar.
Coronavirus infections in the energy-producing region had initially been linked to travel. But despite taking early measures to combat the virus, Gulf states have seen a spread among low-income migrant workers living in cramped quarters, prompting authorities to ramp up testing.
Qatar reports 756 new coronavirus cases
Qatar today has reported 756 new cases of COVID-19 raising the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 98,653, according to the Ministry of Public Health.
Three new deaths were also announced, pushing the death toll to 121 while 1,986 COVID-19 patients have recovered in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of recoveries to 88,583.
Over the past 24 hours, 10 people have been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), taking the total number of people currently in intensive care to 185.
Currently, the active cases stand at 9,949. The ministry conducted 5,910 tests in the last 24 hours taking the total tests done so far to 372,005.
The ministry affirmed that all new cases have been placed under isolation and are receiving the necessary healthcare according to their health status, adding that measures to tackle COVID-19 have succeeded in flattening the curve and limiting the spread of the virus. The number of new daily cases and hospital admissions has gradually declined over the past few weeks.
