RIYADH: Saudi Arabia announced 13 deaths from COVID-19 and 986 new infections on Thursday.
Of the new cases, 189 were recorded in Makkah, 177 in Riyadh, 162 in the Eastern Province, 101 in Jazan, 98 in Asir, 55 in Madinah, 41 in Hail, 35 in Tabuk, 29 in Najran, 24 in the Northern Borders region, 17 in Al-Baha, and 10 in Al-Jouf.
The total number of recoveries in the Kingdom increased to 512,373 after 1,055 more patients recovered from the virus.
A total of 8,297 people have succumbed to the virus in the Kingdom so far.
The Kingdom’s health ministry emphasised on Thursday the need for students aged 12-18 years to be vaccinated ahead of the new school year.
Students who have not had a first dose of the vaccine before August 8 will not be able to attend their first day back in education.
The ministry added that the period between having both doses of a coronavirus vaccine is three weeks.
Over 29 million doses of a coronavirus vaccine have been administered in the Kingdom to date.
Asir’s health department said it began work on the new expansion of the coronavirus vaccine center at the Prince Sultan Cultural Center in Khamis Mushait.
Asir health department’s COVID-19 vaccine center at the Prince Sultan Cultural Center in Khamis Mushait. (SPA)
The center now accommodates approximately 10,000 patients per day, and aims to raise its capacity to 15,000, the department said.
It has been fully equipped and contains 18 registration stations and 60 vaccination clinics, supported by three emergency clinics.
Meanwhile, police in the Eastern Province said they arrested 178 people for flouting quarantine rules after they tested positive for COVID-19, while police in Makkah said they arrested 102 people for violating quarantine instructions.
Penalties for individuals who violate quarantine instructions include a fine of up to SR200,000 ($53,332) and/or up to two years imprisonment, and penalties are doubled for repeat offenders. If the violation was committed by an expat, they face deportation from the Kingdom and are permanently banned from reentry.
Prince Faisal bin Mishaal bin Saud, governor of Qassim, suspended five activities and festivals in the region for COVID-19 violations.
The region’s spokesman, Ahmed bin Abdullah Al-Hussein, said the activities were held in the city of Buraidah and the governorates of Onaizah and Al-Ras, adding there is no tolerance violations against the preventive measures.
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs reopened 13 mosques in five regions after temporarily evacuating and sterilizing them after 13 people tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of mosques closed and reopened after being sterilized to 1,955 within 180 days.
