By Leen Alfaisal

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia's National Health Emergency Operations Center (NHEOC) here has been turned into a command and control room at the heart of authorities’ fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

The center is responsible for orchestrating and implementing the health ministry’s disaster and crisis management operations. Employees of the operations center receive emergency calls, monitor cases, and follow up on potential cases.

"In the last two weeks, more than a quarter of a million [people] have been examined and a quarter of this number, which means more than 60,000, have given nose swabs," said Dr. Muhammad Al-Abdel Ali, the spokesman of the Ministry of Health.

Saudi Arabia had 28,656 coronavirus cases as of Monday, May 4. The death tolls stood at 191. "Precautions and hygiene measures will continue for a long period of time. We will keep applying them, and going out will be for necessary matters only, while avoiding gatherings. This is a very important thing. We all share the same responsibility," Dr. Al-Abdel Ali added. -- Al Arabiya English