Passengers coming from China wearing masks to prevent a new coronavirus are checked by Saudi Health Ministry employees upon their arrival at King Khalid International Airport, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Reuters)
Coronavirus: Saudi screens more than 500,000 travelers, hundreds quarantined
Saudi Arabia screened more than 500,000 travelers coming into the Kingdom over the past few days, a health ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.
All 20 confirmed coronavirus cases are in stable conditions except one American citizen who is in critical condition, the spokesman said during a press conference.
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At least 468 people were quarantined as part of the precautionary measures Saudi Arabia is taking against the spread of coronavirus. Another 2,032 people are in home isolation.
The Kingdom has enforced several measures over the past few weeks including suspending visits to Mecca, Islam's holiest site. Schools were also suspended until further notice.
Travel to and from several coronavirus-hit countries was stopped to help combat the spread of coronavirus. The countries include the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Italy, and others.
King Salman bin Abdulaziz issued directives on Monday to for the Kingdom to provide financial support worth $10 million to the World Health Organization (WHO) to combat the coronavirus outbreak, according to the Saudi Press Agency
Awareness and a quick response prevented the further spread of coronavirus in Saudi Arabia, according to the health ministry’s spokesman.
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