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22 Mar 2020
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Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia reports 119 new cases, bringing total to 511

March 22, 2020

Saudi Arabia on Sunday confirmed 119 new cases of the deadly coronavirus, raising the total number of cases in the country to 511, the spokesman for the Ministry of Health Mohammed al-Abd al-Ali said.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page. Out of the 119 cases, 72 of them are located in Mecca, 34 are located in Riyadh, four are located in Dammam, another four are located in al-Qatif, and three are located in al-Ahsa, according to al-Abd al-Ali.There has also been three cases of coronavirus in Khobar, one case in Dhahran, and one case in Qassim, he added.“All those who mixed with confirmed cases are being isolated,” al-Abd al-Ali.The Kingdom has also reported that 17 people have recovered from the novel virus, also known as COVID-19 and corona.A total of 23,000 tests were conducted in Saudi Arabia, the ministry spokesman said, adding strict measures will continue to be implemented in the country to contain the outbreak.Thirty-three percent of coronavirus infections in Saudi Arabia are a result of people coming into contact with previously infected individuals and taking part in social gatherings, like weddings, funerals, and family get-togethers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported on early on Sunday.“We urge people to stay at home. That is the best way to protect themselves from the virus,” al-Abd al-Ali said.Read more: Social gatherings cause 33 percent of coronavirus infections in Saudi ArabiaGuide: Saudi Arabia health measures for arrivals from coronavirus-hit countriesCoronavirus in Saudi Arabia: The latest facts about what is closed and banned
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia reports 119 new cases, bringing total to 511

22 Mar 2020
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Coronavirus: Emirates Airline suspends most passenger flights

March 22, 2020

The Emirates Airline announced on Sunday that it will continue to operate passenger and cargo flights “to a few countries until further notice, as long as borders remain open, and there is demand.”The airline reversed its earlier decision of suspending all passenger flights starting from March 25. It said the revised move following “requests from governments and customers to support repatriation of travelers.”Earlier on Sunday, the airline announced it will be suspending all passenger flights starting from March 25, in an effort to combat the spread of the deadly coronavirus.“Today we made the decision to temporarily suspend all passenger flights by 25 March 2020. SkyCargo operations will continue. This painful but pragmatic move will help Emirates Group preserve business viability and secure jobs worldwide, avoiding cuts,” the airline announced in a statement.The UAE has reported 153 cases of coronavirus in the country, and two deaths as a result of the virus.“The world has literally gone into quarantine due to the COVID-19 outbreak. This is an unprecedented crisis situation in terms of breadth and scale: geographically, as well as from a health, social, and economic standpoint,” Chairman and CEO of Emirates Group Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum.Emirates, which is one of the biggest airlines in the world, can no longer operate passenger services until countries re-open their borders and people feel safe traveling, he added.Emirates had previously announced it would be suspending all flights to several virus-hit countries, including all flights to France, Germany, Nigeria, and New York.Read the latest updates in our dedicated coroanvirus section.The UAE suspended the entry of GCC nationals into the country starting from Midnight Saturday until the approval of the pre-examination mechanism for the coronavirus, the foreign ministry said on Friday according to state news agency WAM.Visas on arrivals, except for diplomatic passport holders, have also been suspended.Read more: Coronavirus: UAE suspends entry of GCC citizens until approval of pre-testing systemCoronavirus: UAE to suspend visas on arrival starting March 19
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Emirates Airline suspends most passenger flights

22 Mar 2020
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Coronavirus: Saudi banks to postpone repayment of loans for health employees

March 22, 2020

Saudi Arabia’s central bank announced on Sunday that the Saudi Arabian Banks in the Kingdom will postpone repayment of loan installments for three months for employees working in the health sector, due to coronavirus outbreak.Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA), the central bank in the Kingdom, announced the initiative on its Twitter account.On March 15, Ahmed al-Kholifey, the governor of SAMA told Al Arabiya that the central bank is ready to intervene should the Kingdom’s liquidity situation become too tight or credit becomes effected.On Monday, governors from central banks across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) said that the regional financial sector is strong enough to face the deadly coronavirus pandemic, according to a statement released by UAE state news agency WAM.Read the latest updates in our dedicated coroanvirus section.The governors were speaking via video conference about how to implement measures to ease the impact that the virus has had on economies in the Arabian Gulf.Monetary institutions and central banks in the GCC will continue to monitor the situation, with the governors stressing that they will use all tools of monetary policy available to them to achieve strong, sustainable, balanced, and comprehensive growth while dampening the economic fallout of the coronavirus, the statement said.Read more:Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia takes economic measures worth over $32 blnSaudi Crown Prince: G20 states will work to reduce coronavirus’ economic impact
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Saudi banks to postpone repayment of loans for health employees