On Monday morning, the COVID-19 Monitoring Committee held its 47th 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 has discussed the global epidemiological situation, as well as the cases reported locally and their health condition. All precautionary measures carried out at the points of entry into the Kingdom will continue in full, the Committee stressed, and will be further tightened. The Committee commended the citizens’ compliance with the curfew, and called on them to stay home, and refrain from going unless extremely necessary (during the hours when going out is permissible).
The meeting was followed by a joint press conference, the participants in which included Dr. Muhammad Al-Abdulaali, MOH spokesman, Mr. Nayef Al-Otaibi, Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs (MOMRA) spokesman, and Eng. Anas Al-Sulaie, Ministry of Tourism (MOT) spokesman. The MOH spokesman mentioned that the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide has amounted to over 1,300,000 cases, of which 265,000 cases have recovered to date. As for the COVID-19 death toll, it has jumped to 70,000 deaths.
“We are still monitoring the confirmed COVID-19 cases reported in the Kingdom,” Al-Rabiah said. 138 new cases were reported today, bringing the total confirmed COVID-19 cases in KSA to 2,523 cases, 1,934 of whom are active cases, still receiving medical care. The number of recoveries has also risen to 551 cases, after adding the new 63 recoveries of today. Whereas the total deaths in the Kingdom to date is 38 deaths.
The MOH spokesman reiterated that anyone who develops symptoms, or is willing to get medical advice, can use the self-assessment application ‘Mawid’, or call 937 which works around the clock.
For his part, the official spokesman of the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs (MOMRA), Nayef Al-Otaibi, said that the Ministry has mobilized all its capabilities (with continuous follow-up from HE Minister Majid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail) through an integrated system of environmental sanitation, whether at the level of health control, sterilization, disinfection or hygiene.
Over the past period, the Ministry's observers carried out more than 130,000 control rounds. They aimed to ensure food safety, limited gatherings among shoppers, and limited contact, through requiring markets to place posters that explain the danger of contact and warn against the role it plays in spreading the virus. Moreover, inspection measures were implemented on the individuals working at these places.
With regard to sterilization, disinfection and hygiene, Al-Otaibi explained that the Ministry has sterilized and disinfected more than 66,000 sites, giving special attention to places that people visit during non-curfew hours, such as markets. The Ministry has also sterilized tools that are likely touched and used by a large number of people, such as shopping carts, shopping baskets, and ATMs.
He highlighted the importance of calling the number (940) in the case of notes regarding food safety or health practices at stores, and reporting them to the concerned authorities. Al-Otaibi also highlighted the importance of using face masks and gloves, and safely disposing of them through the containers specifically designated for that purpose, in order for them to be transferred to landfills. “The secretariats of the Ministry have established more than 16,000 temporary markets to make shopping easier for citizens and alleviate the pressure on main markets,” he noted.
For his part, Ministry of Tourism spokesman Eng. Anas Al-Sulaie, said that the Ministry of Tourism has worked to implement the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques in cooperation with a number of authorities, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MOH, the Ministry of Education, and the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). Their consolidated efforts aim to secure citizens’ safety requirements upon their return to the Kingdom.
Al-Sulaie added that the Ministry of Tourism is working to equip shelters and all their facilities to host citizens upon their return. Over 11,000 hotel rooms and residential units were prepared to receive citizens. Additional rooms and residential units were prepared in case a need for them emerged. Al-Sulaie explained that there are directives and continuous follow-up by HE the Minister of Tourism to implement periodic monitoring and inspection to ensure high-quality services and safety for citizens.
Regarding the Ministry’s responsibility towards citizens who wish to return to the Kingdom, Al-Sulaie stated that the ministry is working to provide services for tourist accommodation facilities, alongside with rooms available free of charge to all citizens without exceptions. This would take place in coordination with tourist accommodation facilities. The aim is to provide individuals with the highest level of services, in addition to implementing field monitoring work to ensure that all the necessary standards and requirements for placement are applied. Moreover, monitoring work is ongoing to control quality when handing over these facilities.
He stressed that the Ministry is working hand-in-hand with all relevant authorities in order to implement the best international standards in security and safety, as well as meet the specified health standards and requirements to combat the spread of the novel Coronavirus to ensure citizens’ safety. “The Ministry of Tourism has prepared a high-level operating room equipped with the latest technologies, with relevant teams working around the clock to receive comments and service requests from guests during their stays,” he added. Additionally, field work directly related to guests is carried out by inspectors to ensure that the highest levels of service are achieved and that requests are responded to immediately.
"We have provided electronic services and a communication channel through the phone number (930) in order to respond effectively to inquiries that come to the ministry, with the purpose of meeting the needs of citizens during their stay," he said. He expressed his appreciation of the great enthusiasm seen from the investors’ side to cooperate with the Ministry through making their facilities available for citizens, free of charge, as a national duty. He expressed his confidence about more interaction over the upcoming period. Al-Sulaie concluded by stating that it is possible to inquire about this initiative by calling (930), or through other communication channels.