Mohammed Dawood

Okaz/Saudi Gazette

 

JEDDAH — A 40-year-old Saudi woman has died from Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-coronavirus at an Al-Jouf government hospital, the Health Ministry announced.



It said the woman was suffering from other illnesses and was already registered as a case of the disease.



The ministry said four new cases of the deadly virus were reported in Riyadh and Buraidah within 24 hours.



It said the first case was a 65-year-old expatriate who had shown symptoms of the disease and was admitted to a government hospital in Riyadh. He was suffering from other illnesses and his condition is critical.



The second case was a 40-year-old expatriate man who was a health practitioner.



He was admitted to a government hospital in Riyadh and his condition was described as stable.



The third was a 45-year-old expatriate man who was admitted to a government hospital in Buraidah in a critical condition.



The fourth was an 80-year-old Saudi man who was admitted to a government hospital in Riyadh also in a critical condition.



The ministry said a 45-year-old expatriate man who was being treated for coronavirus in a government hospital in Najran has recovered and was discharged.



Meanwhilem an official source at the ministry disclosed that two private hospitals were each fined SR200,000 for not reporting confirmed or suspected cases of coronavirus.



He did not reveal where the two hospitals were located but said a third that had allegedly failed to report a suspected case of coronavirus was also being investigated.



The source said the ministry had asked private hospitals all over the Kingdom to immediately report any confirmed or suspected coronavirus case to the nearest health department or command and control center.