Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia reports 1,931 new cases, 12 deaths

Saudi Arabia reported on Tuesday 1,931 new coronavirus cases and 12 deaths, bringing the total number of infections in the Kingdom to 76,726 and the death toll to 411, according to the Saudi Health Ministry.

The ministry reported its highest daily toll on May 16 with 2,840 new cases. The number of new daily cases has since been decreasing day by day.

The Kingdom also reported 2,782 recoveries, bringing the total number of recoveries to 48,450 so far.

Read the latest updates in our dedicated coronavirus section.

Of the new cases, 25 percent are female while 75 percent are male, according to the health ministry spokesman. He also said that 45 percent of the newly detected cases are of Saudi nationality while the remaining 55 percent are of various nationalities.

The Kingdom currently has the highest number of cases in the region; however, it is also by far the largest country in the GCC, both in terms of population and area. Saudi Arabia recorded its first case on March 2, after a Saudi Arabian national returned from Iran.

Easing restrictions

“Today, we’re in an important phase of facing the coronavirus: Returning to normal life while sticking to social distancing measures,” the health ministry’s spokesperson said during the daily coronavirus press conference.

Saudi Arabia will ease coronavirus restrictions, resume some economic and commercial activities, and return to “normalcy,” as per the approval of King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Kingdom's Ministry of Interior (MOI) announced earlier on Tuesday.

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