Saudi Reports 1st Coronavirus Death As Infections Spike

According to the health ministry, Saudi Arabia registered the first death from the latest coronavirus on Tuesday when the cumulative number of infections jumped to 767.

An Afghan citizen in Medina's western city died from the virus, the ministry said when recording 205 fresh infections— the highest spike in a single day in the country.

Saudi Arabia, which has reported the largest number of infections in the World, began on Monday to introduce a nationwide dusk-to-dawn curfew to prevent the spread of the deadly COVID-19.

The largest economy in the Arab world has also shut down cinemas, malls and hotels, avoided trains and halted the umrah pilgrimage during the year as attempts to control the virus are speeding up.

On Thursday King Salman cautioned of a "more complicated" battle against the virus, as the kingdom is facing the double blow of virus-led shutdowns and falling oil prices.

Last week, the Kingdom unveiled stimulus measures to support businesses amounting to 120 billion riyals ($32 billion) and said it plans to raise borrowing to 50 percent of GDP.

Similar restrictions and stimulus measures have been reported by other countries in the Gulf, where more than 2,100 coronavirus infections have been reported so far.

Bahrain recorded its third death from the virus on Tuesday, while Oman said it would from March 29 suspend all passenger flights -- except to and from Musandam bordering the United Arab Emirates.

Meanwhile, Kuwait's cabinet on Tuesday said according to state reports, anybody found intentionally distributing the virus might face up to 10 years in jail.

Kuwait— which has reported 191 cases thus far— has taken the most restrictive steps in the Gulf by effectively locking down the nation to battle COVID-19 outbreak

Source: AFP