Saudi Arabia reports second coronvirus death as infections hit 900

Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia on Wednesday announced 133 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections in the Kingdom to 900. It also reported a second death as a 46-year-old man from Makkah succumbed to the deadly virus.

Dr. Muhammad Al-Abdel Ali, spokesman of the Ministry of Health, said in a press briefing that most of the new cases, 83 in number, were reported in Riyadh. There were 13 cases in Dammam, 10 in Jeddah, six each in Qatif and Madinah, five in Al-Khobar, four in Najran, two each in Abha and Arar and one each in Dhahran and Jubail.

The spokesman said that a total of 29 people have so far recovered from coronavirus in the Kingdom.

Attending the press briefing, Lt. Col. Talal Al-Shalhoub, spokesman of the Ministry of Interior, said that there was an overwhelming compliance to the curfew over the first two days since its implementation on Monday. He said the lockdown will take effect in the cities of Makkah, Madinah and Riyadh from 3 p.m. on Thursday. “The strict implementation of the curfew is aimed at curbing the spread of coronavirus. The monitoring of violations is being carried out by security men on the roads, and not automatically, while taking into account of the exempted groups,” he said, adding that those who defy prohibitory orders shall be met with appropriate punitive measures.