JEDDAH: Repatriated Saudis arriving in the Kingdom without showing coronavirus symptoms will be quarantined in their homes as a precautionary measure, the Ministry of Health announced on Thursday.
The procedure will be implemented on citizens’ arrival. They will undergo health screening at the airport and sign a pledge before they go home.
The process includes suspected cases who do not require hospital care, but only if the patient’s residence is suitable for quarantine according to the guide for home isolation issued by the Saudi Center for Disease Prevention and Control.
The ministry said that home quarantine would be imposed on some but not all cases returning from abroad. All cases will be recorded and remain under the ministry’s supervision through the “Tatamman” and “Tawakkalna” apps.
Those with COIVD-19 symptoms or wishing to undergo a test are advised to use the options available for patients, including the Mawid app, or visit one of the newly launched Tatamman fever clinics, call 937 or message the number 9200058937 via WhatsApp for information about the disease.
There are 16 Tatamman clinics in Jeddah city to receive patients experiencing COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, cough and shortness of breath, and they are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The clinics are open to everyone, both adults and children, and whether they are Saudi nationals, expats or violators of residency laws. Patients can visit the clinic directly without an appointment.
The clinics are distributed across the Kingdom’s regions. More details about their locations are available on the Mawid app or via the following link: https://s.moh.gov.sa/clinics
The Kingdom recorded 38 new COVID-19-related deaths on Thursday, raising the total to 857.
There were 3,733 new cases reported in the Kingdom, meaning 116,021 people have now contracted the disease. There are 35,145 active cases; 1,738 of them are in critical condition.
According to the Health Ministry, 1,431 of the newly recorded cases were in Riyadh, while Jeddah recorded 294 and Makkah recorded 293.
The ministry also announced that 2,065 more patients had recovered from the coronavirus, bringing the total number of recoveries in the Kingdom to 80,019.
Saudi Arabia has so far conducted 1,042,312 tests for COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance announced that mosques will open 40 minutes before the call to Friday prayers to avoid overcrowding, except for mosques in Makkah and Jeddah, which remain closed due to the spread of the virus.
