Saudi Arabia continued on a downward trend with 2,235 new cases over the past 24 hours, raising the total to 74,795, the health ministry announced on Monday.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 2,148 recoveries, bringing the total number of recoveries to 45,668 so far.Read the latest updates in our dedicated coronavirus section.Meanwhile, nine people who had previously tested positive for the virus have died due to complications. The relatively low death toll stands at 399.Of the new cases, 27 percent are female while 73 percent are male, according to the health ministry spokesman. He also said that 41 percent of the newly detected cases are of Saudi nationality while the remaining 59 percent are of various nationalities.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the appThe spokesman continued to urge people to follow social distancing guidelines and to comply with precautionary measures such as wearing a mask and avoiding gatherings and crowds.Even though over half of those who became infected in the Kingdom have recovered so far, Saudi Arabia’s Health Minister Dr. Tawfig al-Rabiah had warned that the number of cases in the Kingdom could reach up to 200,000 within weeks, based on four different studies conducted by Saudi and foreign experts. His lower estimate was 10,000.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.The government was quick to impose preventative measures such as shutting down domestic and international travel, closed businesses, and eventually imposed a 24-hour curfew on all major cities.Read more:Effect of sunlight and heat on coronavirus being studied: Saudi Arabia officialSaudi Arabia cases could reach 200,000 within weeks, says ministerSaudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman says hard times will pass
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia records downward trend with 2,235 new cases
