Saudi Arabia reported a steady increase of 2,532 new coronavirus cases and 12 new deaths, which brings the total number of cases in the Kingdom to 65,077 and the virus-related death toll to 351, the Ministry of Health announced.
The majority of cases were detected in the capital Riyadh, Al Arabiya reports. 714 new infections were reported in the Saudi capital, according to the MOH.
In less than a month, Saudi Arabia’s numbers have quadrupled, with nearly 60,000 confirmed cases as of Wednesday.
Saudi Arabia’s response to the Coronavirus challenge, from strict lockdown measures to fiscal actions, was swift from the beginning. Flights were suspended, cities were placed under 24-hour lockdowns, and public places were shuttered. But the Eid holiday and Ramadan present unique challenges in preventing people and families from coming together, and the Kingdom’s incremental relaxation of the restrictions in recent days as Ramadan ends will be reversed.
Saudi Arabia has announced it will enforce a nationwide 24-hour curfew starting Saturday into next week during the Eid al-Fitr festival, which marks the end of Ramadan.
Globally, over 5 million cases of the Coronavirus have been registered, with over 330,843 deaths.
