JEDDAH: The total laboratory tests taken to detect the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have increased to more than 180,000 tests so far in the Kingdom.
Tests were carried out at the Ministry of Health’s laboratories and other leading institutions throughout the Kingdom.
“We adopt COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing in which the virus is discovered with high accuracy,” said ministry spokesman Dr. Mohammed Al-Abd Al-Aly.
Al-Aly invited hospitals in the private sector with the capability to conducts PCR tests to cooperate with the ministry’s testing efforts.
A total of 1,088 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the Kingdom on Sunday, with the total number of cases reaching 9,362.
Of the new cases, 82 percent are expats and 17 percent are Saudi; 892 were discovered through mass testing activities in over-populated neighborhoods.
“Within only two days, the number of cases discovered through mass testing increased from 50 percent of total cases to 82 percent, which indicates the importance of these activities in eliminating the disease spread and discovering cases at an early stage,” said Al-Aly.
He added that the duration of testing surveys in targeted neighborhoods ranges from days to weeks according to the population density, the number of housing units, effective interaction and the number of cases discovered in that area.
There are currently 7,867 active cases, 93 of them critical. Sixty-nine new recoveries took the total number of recoveries to 1,398, while five new deaths had been reported, raising the death toll to 97.
The latest fatalities were all expats. Four lived in Makkah, the other in Jeddah. They were aged between 37 and 64.
Updates about COVID-19 cases in Saudi Arabia are available at http://covid19.moh.gov.sa
Meanwhile, the Saudi Public Security has added an online service of movement permits within the region and between the country’s governorates, as well as moving between different neighborhoods within cities for people with exceptional circumstances.
The service will available at the following link http://tanaqul.ecloud.sa in all of the Kingdom’s regions except Makkah and Madinah.
Saudi Arabia completes 180,000 coronavirus tests
https://arab.news/83svr
Saudi Arabia completes 180,000 coronavirus tests
- A total of 1,088 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the Kingdom on Sunday, with the total number of cases reaching 9,362
- 892 of those cases were discovered through mass testing activities in over-populated neighborhoods
Japan ambassador attends manga exhibition in Riyadh
- ‘Manga Hokusai Manga’ exhibition held to mark 70 years of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Japan
RIYADH: Japan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Yasunari Morino attended the opening ceremony of the “Manga Hokusai Manga” exhibition here on Tuesday.
Held at the Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art, the show is one of many upcoming events celebrating the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
The exhibition celebrates the work of renowned Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai.
In his speech, Morino said it was a “delight to see more and more Saudi people enjoying the Japanese culture from (the) traditional to contemporary.”
He added that he was happy to see “Saudi artists being inspired by the Japanese manga to create their artworks.”
“I sincerely hope this exhibition will make another footprint of the Japanese culture in KSA and give a great impact in the Saudi art scene,” he said.
The exhibition has been organized in cooperation with the Saudi Museums Commission and the Japan Foundation and is open to the public until Feb. 8.
A version of this article appeared on Arab News Japan.
Saudi aid agency KSrelief distributes over 2,000 food parcels in Pakistan
RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has distributed 2,028 food parcels in Pakistan’s flood-affected Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa regions, benefiting 13,159 people, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.
Sunday’s initiative forms part of this year’s Food Security Support Project in Pakistan.
The aid reflects the Kingdom’s ongoing humanitarian efforts through KSrelief to assist needy individuals in Pakistan.
Energy ministers discuss Saudi-Japan cooperation
RIYADH: Japan’s Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yoji Muto held discussions on cooperation with Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz on Tuesday.
The officials reviewed current ties and stressed the importance of joint efforts in energy transitions, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The ministers welcomed the progress made under the Manar Initiative, which is a Saudi-Japan effort to promote clean energy.
The initiative was launched after former Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to Saudi Arabia in 2023.
A version of this story originally appeared on Arab News Japan.
Saudi aid agency KSrelief treats hundreds at Aden prosthetics center
- The services included the manufacturing and fitting of prosthetic limbs, as well as physical therapy
RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has helped to treat 452 Yemenis, who lost limbs because of the ongoing conflict, at the Prosthetics and Rehabilitation Center in Aden governorate, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.
A total of 1,407 procedures were completed for men, who made up 65 percent of patients, and women at 35 percent.
In addition, 54 percent were displaced individuals and 46 percent residents.
The services included the manufacturing and fitting of prosthetic limbs, as well as physical therapy.
KSrelief continues to provide general and critical care for vulnerable Yemeni people, the SPA reported.
New study documents reptile species in King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve
- Researchers identified 31 species — 25 lizards and six snakes — following 1,551 field observations within the reserve
RIYADH: A groundbreaking scientific study has unveiled the first detailed list of reptile species in the King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
Conducted by the reserve’s development authority, the study was published in the Amphibian & Reptiles Conservation journal.
Researchers identified 31 species — 25 lizards and six snakes — following 1,551 field observations within the reserve. Three species were also newly documented, raising the reserve’s known total to 34.
The research highlighted two endangered species, the Egyptian monitor lizard (Uromastyx aegyptia) and the Wolfgangboehmei gecko (Tropicolotes wolfgangboehmei), which both face threats from climate change and human activity, according to the study.
Spanning from November 2022 to October 2023, the study employed tools such as genetic barcoding and highlighted the reserve’s ecological diversity.
Aligned with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 program and the Saudi Green Initiative, the study is part of efforts to protect endangered species and sustain wildlife in Saudi Arabia. Researchers recommended enhanced monitoring and adaptive conservation strategies to mitigate environmental challenges.
