The health ministry said there were 20 cases of MERS in Riyadh, and one in Abha, according to Xinhua. According to the health ministry, there have been 1,072 confirmed cases of MERS since its appearance in September 2012.
Of that number, 588 people have recovered and 25 cases are still being treated, in addition to four domestically quarantined cases. The Ministry of Health also reported that 844 samples were tested for coronavirus in their laboratories during the same reporting period (Aug. 9-Aug. 15) said the Saudi Gazette.
The ministry’s Command and Control Center is continuing in its efforts to monitor the virus, around the clock, making sure government and private health facilities are implementing the proper procedures and practices for combating the infection.
The ministry is collaborating with the Saudi Department of Agriculture, and international health organizations, including WHO in tracking and following up on the latest preventive measures. In areas of the country where camels are herded, as well as among camel owners and herders, a stepped up awareness campaign has been started to educate people on the coronavirus.
This week’s announcement came out as Saudi Arabia initiated its campaign to prevent the spread of the coronavirus among pilgrims who have already started arriving from all over the world to perform the Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, alongside Shahadah, Salat, Zakat, and Sawm. In 2014, approximately 2,089,053 people, of which 1,389,053 were foreigners made the pilgrimage, according to the Saudi Royal Embassy.
