Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has screened more than 500,000 travelers coming into the Kingdom over the past few days, a health ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.

At least 468 people are quarantined as part of the precautionary measures Saudi Arabia is taking against the spread of coronavirus. Another 2,032 people are in home isolation.

Five additional coronavirus cases were confirmed earlier in the day bringing the total number in Saudi Arabia to 20.

The Saudi Embassy in the United Arab Emirates said in a statement on Tuesday that Saudi citizens who wished to return to the Kingdom have 72 hours to do so. Saudi citizens in Bahrain were also given 72 hours to return to the Kingdom.

They can return from the Emirates by land and by air through the Dubai International Airport during the next 72 hours.

The embassy advised citizens that they can return to the Kingdom from Dubai Airport using the Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) flights. They can also use the land border crossing Al-Batha in Saudi Arabia near UAE's Al-Ghweifat border. Saudi citizens have also been advised to contact the embassy in Abu Dhabi and the consulate in Dubai for assistance.

Saudi Arabia has implemented a series of reforms to limit the virus's impact on the Kingdom. The Kingdom had earlier said it was suspending the entry of those coming from a number of countries affected by the coronavirus, or the entry of those who were there 14 days prior to their arrival.

Qatif was put on lockdown after eleven of the country's cases were confirmed in the city in the Eastern Province.

Following arrivals from Iran testing positive for the virus, the Kingdom announced it would charge up to half a million riyals to those entering the country without disclosing correct health-related information. It was discovered that Iran had failed to stamp some passports, allowing individuals to enter the Kingdom who later tested positive.

Of the five new cases detected in Saudi Arabia, four were diagnosed with the disease, three of whom had arrived from Iran and Iraq and entered quarantine after their return. Laboratory tests showed that they were carrying the new coronavirus and they were then transferred to a quarantine ward in a hospital in the Eastern Province.

The fourth case was of a citizen with mild respiratory symptoms who checked himself into a hospital in the Eastern Province and was placed in quarantine. Those in contact with him were also quarantined, and the necessary preventive measures were taken. The fifth case was of an Egyptian man who arrived from Egypt to the Kingdom, the ministry added. He was quarantined in a hospital in the city of Makkah. The ministry assured everyone that it was providing health care in accordance with the approved procedures.