RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s health ministry reported on Wednesday the Kingdom’s second coronavirus related death.
The ministry said the total number of infections had now reached 900.
The deceased was a resident from Makkah.
The ministry said 133 new cases had emerged since Tuesday and 29 people have recovered from the virus so far.
Spokesperson Dr. Mohammed Al-Abd Al-Aly, renewed the government’s call to halt gatherings, including those at home.
“If it is necessary to remain in one place, and must keep a distance of one meter or one and a half meters between people,” he said.
Interior ministry spokesperson, Talal Al-Shalhoub, praised the major commitments to the curfew so far and said that an extended curfew will be implemented in Riyadh, Makkah and Madinah starting from 3 p.m. on Thursday, according to measures approved by King Salman.
Al-Shalhoub said security officials will monitor violations in the streets, and will take in to account those exempted from the curfew, adding that the violation would apply to the individual and not the vehicle.
Saudi Arabia started a nationwide curfew on Monday, stopping people going outside from 7 p.m. until 6 a.m. for 21 days.
On Wednesday, King Salman announced further measures prohibiting people from entering and leaving Riyadh, Makkah and Madinah
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques announced on Wednesday that construction of the third expansion of the Grand Mosque in Makkah will be halted temporarily over coronavirus fears.
