The Assistant Minister of Health and MOH spokesman, Dr. Muhammad Al-Abdulaali, stated that the second wave of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) means an increase in infections after a significant decline, and the virus has not shown the mutation worldwide, pointing out that the incubation period for coronavirus is 14 days. Al-Abdulaali highlighted that the Kingdom witnesses constant drop in COVID-19 cases and the infection curve continues to fall, as the new cases record more than 90% down from highest single-day spike. He explained that this positive effect that we record after weeks reflects improvement in critical cases, in terms of a significant decrease in critical cases and inpatients in ICUs at a rate up to 55%, recording now close to 1,000 or slightly more critical cases; the matter which will be positively reflected after weeks on deaths that record a drop of more than 50%, all praise is due to Allah.
Al-Abdulaali revealed that 403 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the Kingdom, bringing the total cases to 333,193. These include 11,505 active cases, still receiving medical care. Their health status is mostly stable, with the exception of 1,032 critical cases.
MOH spokesman made this statement in COVID-19 briefing held on Sunday, which also hosted spokesman of the Ministry of Interior (MOI), Lt. Col. Talal Al-Shalhoob. Abdulaali mentioned that 600 COVID-19 recoveries were reported, bringing the total number of recoveries to 317,005 to date. Besides, 28 deaths were reported, bringing the total deaths to 4,683. Of the newly reported cases, he said, 41% are females, and 59% are males. Children make up 11% of the reported cases, whereas adults constitute 85%, and older adults 4%. 34,300 new COVID-19 lab tests have been conducted throughout the Kingdom, bringing the total tests to 6,348,385 tests.
For his part, MOI spokesman stated that in implementation of the gracious directives to allow some excluded groups of citizens to travel outside the Kingdom and return to it over the period of suspension of international flights amid Covid-19 pandemic until the date of permitting travel completely by January 1st, 2021, according to certain controls and requirements.
"Within the framework of MOI keenness to facilitate and speed up procedures for obtaining permits to travel outside the Kingdom, an electronic service has been launched, in collaboration with the National Information Center and relevant ministries; to enable those excluded groups to submit their requests along with required documents, via «Absher-individuals» platform for e-services, which features all controls and conditions for issuing travel permits for excluded groups," Al-Shalhoub said.
He indicated that previously submitted paper applications that had not been considered are cancelled. Thus, their applicants must re-submit their requests according to recent mechanisms, based on such exceptions stipulated in the Royal Decree.
Al-Shalhoub explained that the service includes all excluded groups, so the competent ministry to issue the permit is chosen and required documents are submitted for considering the application. He added that the Ministry of Interior, represented by the General Directorate of Passports, has announced the conditions for obtaining travel permits for a number of groups, namely: government employees (civilian and military) assigned with official duties, in addition to citizens with humanitarian cases, especially the following ones: family reunification of a citizen with his/her relatives residing outside the Kingdom, the death of a husband, a wife, or one of parents, sons, or daughters outside the Kingdom, as well as citizens residing outside the Kingdom and their companions, who have evidence of their residence outside the Kingdom. Finally, he underlined that each relevant ministry will announce its conditions and controls for its special excluded groups.