On Thursday afternoon, the COVID-19 Follow-up Committee held its 22nd meeting. Chaired by the Minister of Health, Dr. Tawfik bin Fawzan al-Rabiah, the meeting was attended by the committee members, who represent the relevant government agencies. During the meeting, all relevant COVID-19 updates and reports were reviewed. The committee discussed the epidemiological situation globally, as well as the cases reported locally. All the precautionary measures carried out at the points of entry into the Kingdom will continue in full, the committee stressed and will be further augmented.
The MOH spokesperson, Dr. Muhammad al-Abdulaali, mentioned that the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide has amounted to 126,000 cases, reported in 121 countries, of which 68,000 cases have been cured to date. As for the COVID-19 death toll, it has jumped to 4600.
So far, said al-Abdulaali, the Kingdom has reported 45 confirmed COVID-19 cases (17 males and 28 females), of which 7 cases have come from Iran, 5 from Iraq, 3 went through Iran and Iraq, 24 from Egypt, and one case from the Philippines through Italy; it is the only critical case. Added to these, there are 5 cases who contracted the virus as a result of contact with previously announced confirmed cases.
Currently, al-Abdulaali added, 17 cases are receiving medical care in al-Qatif, 4 in Dammam, 22 in Makkah and one case in Riyadh and Jeddah. The total number of quarantined and home-isolated cases is 2,500. And the total number of COVID-19 tests is 4,300, added to 570,000 individuals screened for the virus at the Kingdom’s points of entry. The 937 Service Center, he added, has received 106,000 COVID-19-related calls.
Dr. Al-Abdulaali called on all those who had been to the regions stricken by the pandemic to contact the 937 Service Center immediately to get the tips and guidelines that would protect them, their families, and their society at large. He also encouraged any person with inquiries about the virus to call the 937 Center. In the meantime, he reiterated the importance of depending on the official sources for getting information, and not listening to rumors.
Concluding his statement, the MOH spokesman called on everybody to back the fight against COVID-19, and to do their human and national role to curb its spread.