25 Saudi hospitals have corona virus treatment facilities

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – So far, no Novel Cronavirus cases have been found in Saudi Arabia, yet the government has prepared a number of prevention and treatment measures for the disease, considering that Makkah and Madinah are always packed by worshipers all over the world.

As many as 25 hospitals throughout the kingdom have been equipped to deal with possible infection of the Coronavirus, an official of the Saudi Ministry of Health said on Sunday (Mar 1), according to Arab News report quoted by Indonesia Window here on Monday.

Mohammed Abdelali said that all Saudi citizens abroad have been evacuated from endemic areas and have returned to the Kingdom and received the necessary health measures, he said.

He noted that 2,200 hospital beds were dedicated for quarantine cases.

The kingdom has not recorded any cases of the new coronavirus so far, he said, adding that Saudi Arabia’s trade activity had not been impacted and is going as usual.

Meanwhile, the undersecretary for the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for Umrah affairs Abdulaziz Wazzan said the ministry has started halting the automated system for issuing Umrah visas and the visa processing system for a short period of time.

“Precautionary measures have been circulated to Umrah companies and establishments operating in the Kingdom, in addition to external agents,” he added.

He pointed out that 469,000 pilgrims and visitors in the Kingdom have been present since the decision to stop the visas was made and 106,000 pilgrims have left since the decision was issued.

Saudi Arabia announced last week that it was suspending Umrah and Hajj visas temporarily as a pre-emptive measure.

Reporting by Indonesia Window