Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia records eight deaths, 1,299 confirmed cases

Saudi Arabia confirmed four new coronavirus deaths, bringing the total to eight on Sunday, amid 1,299 confirmed cases with 96 new ones, according to a health ministry spokesman.

Twelve people are currently in the intensive care unit (ICU) in critical condition, the spokesman said. He added that 66 people recovered.

Read the latest updates in our dedicated coronavirus section.

The health ministry continues to emphasize the need to adhere to coronavirus precautionary measures implemented by the government to slow the spread of the virus. It is also important to have healthy habits like hand washing and avoiding handshakes and close contact with those showing respiratory illness symptoms. People must adhere to quarantine and self-isolation instructions, and it most likely would not exceed a 14-day period, the spokesman added.

Saudi Arabia tightens coronavirus lockdown measures

Saudi Arabia tighetened its restrictions on movement aimed at slowing the spread of coronavirus in the Kingdom on Sunday.

Residents in Saudi Arabia are banned from entering or exiting the Jeddah governorate as of Sunday in an effort to slow the spread of the deadly coronavirus, according to a statement from the Ministry of Interior.

A recently imposed curfew will also begin at 3 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. in the governorate, said the statement from the ministry on Twitter.

Last week King Salman bin Abdulaziz approved measures that banned residents in the Kingdom from traveling between its 13 provinces. Riyadh, Mecca and Medina were also placed on lockdown as of Thursday, and curfew times were brought forward to also begin at 3 p.m. instead of 7 p.m.

Read more: Timeline: Here are all the measures taken by Saudi Arabia to combat the coronavirus

Saudi Arabia seizes 5 million face masks from illegal hoarders

Saudi authorities have seized more than five million medical masks that were illegally stockpiled amid the coronavirus outbreak, state media reported on Sunday.

The commerce ministry seized 1.17 million masks from a private store in Hail, northwest of the capital, after authorities Wednesday confiscated more than four million masks stored in a facility in the western city of Jeddah in violation of commercial regulations, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.

The ministry said people behind such activities would be prosecuted, and that the confiscated masks would be redistributed to the open market.

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