JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia recorded 37 new deaths and 3,379 new cases from COVID-19 on Sunday, as life in the Kingdom begins to return to normal amid the ongoing pandemic.
The new COVID-19 related deaths have raised the total to 1,267 in the Kingdom.
On a positive note, the Saudi Health Ministry (MOH) announced that 2,213 more patients had recovered from coronavirus, bringing the total number of recoveries in the Kingdom to 101,130.
The ministry also announced that 2,213 more patients had recovered from coronavirus, bringing the total number of recoveries in the Kingdom to 101,130.
In Sunday’s press briefing the health ministry said it was very important to “cautiously return to normal” while “maintaining the new habits aimed at facing the coronavirus.”
Dr. Mohammed Al-Abd Al-Aly, MOH spokesman, said that there had been an increase in the number of patients in critical care, noting that there had been a 9 percent rise in the overall number of patients in critical condition.
He said that Saudi Arabia’s R0 infection rate was being closely monitored and had been fluctuating since the beginning of June when the infection rate was between 1.5 and 2. It had decreased to between 1 to 1.5 but was subject to change depending on adherence to precautionary measures.
“We noticed that it’s currently fluctuating and is somewhat reaching a plateau,” said Al-Aly. “The rate is associated with the adherence to measures; the more we adhere to precautionary measures, protocols and social distancing measures, the lower the rate will decrease.”
Al-Aly stressed the importance of wearing face masks to decrease the spread of the virus while outside the home.
Being responsible and remaining cautious by picking up health-conscious behaviors was also important after the nationwide curfew was lifted as part of the Kingdom’s three-phase plan to return to normalcy.
He stressed on the importance of keeping social distancing to fight the virus spread.
The ministry announced Thursday it has set out the third phase of its plan to return life in the Kingdom to normal, but warned that the danger had not passed.
Meanwhile, the MOH’s COVID-19 awareness website, www.covid19awareness.sa, has increased the number of languages available to provide information on symptoms and protection measures as well as supplying a number of videos and infographics on the disease to provide better services to the Kingdom’s expat community.
