Saudi Arabia’s daily COVID-19 cases continue to decline

The coronavirus pandemic has affected over 208 million people globally and the death toll has reached around 4.38 million. (File/SPA)
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Updated 16 August 2021
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Saudi Arabia’s daily COVID-19 cases continue to decline

  • 71 people were arrested by Makkah police for violating quarantine measures
  • Jazan police arrested 81 women in a village in the Samtah governorate during a gathering

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s daily confirmed cases continue to drop as more regions are recording numbers below the 100 case mark. 
604 new cases were reported on Monday with only one region topping the list, Riyadh reported 170 cases, Makkah with 97 cases, the Eastern Province with 67 and Jazan 59. The Northern Borders reported only 5 cases, the lowest of all 13 regions.
The last time the Kingdom recorded numbers near the 600 mark were last September.
With today’s numbers, 539,129 cases have been recorded so far in Saudi Arabia since the beginning of the pandemic. 
1,011 recoveries were reported, raising the total number of those recovered from COVID-19 to 524,061. The Kingdom’s recovery rate is currently at 97.2 percent. 
With the rise in the number of recoveries, the number of active cases have also seen a decline as there are currently 6,649 active cases, 1,332 of which are in critical care. It’s important to highlight that there has been a decline of 24 ICU cases in the past 24 hours.
Seven new deaths due to complications from the infection have been reported, raising the death tally to 8,419.
More than 32.1 vaccine doses have been administered so far at a rate of 272,224 each day, that’s about 92.3 doses per hundred people. So far, 59.94 percent of the Kingdom’s 34.8 million have been vaccinated, 11.3 million of which were vaccinated with both doses and making up 32.3 percent of those vaccinated. 


With the news of the cases infected by the Delta variant in the Kingdom, authorities are warning residents to adhere to precautionary and health measures. Any and all violations will be dealt with accordingly. 
71 people were arrested by the Makkah Police for violating quarantine measures after discovering they were infected by COVID-19 putting people at risk. Quarantine violators could face up to two years in prison and fines of SR200,000 ($53,330) and expats will be deported and permanently banned from returning to the Kingdom. 
The country’s Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution said the penalties would apply to those violating regulations whether they were infected with COVID-19, had come into contact with someone having the virus, or were suspected of being a carrier.
Jazan police arrested 81 women in a village in the Samtah governorate during a gathering that violated precautionary regulations. Legal measures and penalties have been imposed on the organizer, the owner of the facility and everyone who attended the event.
The municipality of Hail carried out 2,206 inspection tours of commercial centers and facilities in the past week, and closed 110 facilities for violating preventive measures.
The education and health departments in Hail inaugurated a vaccine center to help increase the number of students inoculated before the start of the academic year and has vaccinated 550 in the first day.
The coronavirus pandemic has affected over 208 million people globally and the death toll has reached around 4.38 million.


Riyadh library launches cultural tourism initiative

Updated 9 sec ago
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Riyadh library launches cultural tourism initiative

Riyadh: The King Abdulaziz Public Library in Riyadh has launched an initiative to position Saudi Arabia as a top global destination for cultural tourism by attracting visitors worldwide to explore the library’s diverse branches, both within and outside the Kingdom.

This project aligns with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 by strengthening national identity, fostering cultural exchange, and supporting sustainable development, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Through its efforts, the library seeks to showcase Saudi Arabia’s rich heritage, folk arts, and traditions, while deepening citizens’ connections to their cultural roots and contributing to economic diversification.

The library’s general supervisor, Faisal bin Muammar, affirmed its commitment to advancing the Kingdom’s cultural and tourism objectives.

The library’s cultural tourism approach goes beyond traditional collections, offering access to historical and rare manuscripts, art and more.


Art Films Week sparks dialogue in Riyadh

Updated 18 min 4 sec ago
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Art Films Week sparks dialogue in Riyadh

  • Visitors can enjoy the screenings in Fenaa Alawwal’s outdoor area, where kiosks provide a variety of food and refreshments

Riyadh: Film enthusiasts have gathered at Riyadh’s Fenaa Alawwal for Art Films Week, an event showcasing a selection of acclaimed documentaries and animations aimed at fostering cultural exchange and dialogue, organized under Saudi Arabia’s Museums Commission.

Running until Nov. 21, the five-day Art Films Week is presenting five films: “Nam June Paik: Moon is the Oldest TV,” “Van Gogh and Japan,” “Omar Sharif: A Nomad’s Life,” “The King and Mister Bird,” and “The Prince Voyage.”

The opening day featured “Nam June Paik: Moon is the Oldest TV” by director Amanda Kim, which chronicles Paik’s meteoric rise in the New York art scene and his vision of a future where “everybody will have his own TV channel.”

South African visitor Gavin Eckhart emphasized the film’s potential to inspire self-expression in the modern age. “Showing this documentary in this context might allow people to find their own self-expression within the modern age,” he told Arab News. 

He further highlighted the artist’s innovative use of technology to break boundaries despite a restrictive upbringing.

“I have really enjoyed his expressive nature in the context of manipulating the available technology,” he said. “He was able to break boundaries and innovate despite his restrictive upbringing, doing so in the most avant-garde way.” 

The documentaries were selected to align with the event’s theme by exploring art and creativity, showcasing influential artists like Nam June Paik, and highlighting the intersection of art and culture.

Visitors can enjoy the screenings in Fenaa Alawwal’s outdoor area, where kiosks provide a variety of food and refreshments. 

Under Vision 2030’s Quality of Life Program, Saudi Arabia is witnessing transformative progress across various sectors, with the cultural industry playing a key role. The number of cultural facilities in the Kingdom surpassed its 2023 target of 41, reaching 45, reflecting the nation’s commitment to fostering a diverse cultural landscape. 

Fenaa Alawwal is a key cultural facility in the capital Riyadh and was established by the Ministry of Culture to promote culture as a way of life.

Its landmark building first opened in 1988 and was recently placed under the custody of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City as part of Saudi Vision 2030’s National Transformation Program. 


Saudi cabinet highlights strengthened partnerships with France, India

Updated 25 min 59 sec ago
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Saudi cabinet highlights strengthened partnerships with France, India

  • The session, chaired by King Salman in Riyadh, addressed key global and regional developments

The cabinet discussed on Tuesday the outcomes of the second Saudi-French Ministerial Committee meeting, focusing on enhancing cultural, tourism, and economic ties, particularly between AlUla and Paris.

The cabinet also praised the progress of the Saudi-Indian Strategic Partnership Council in boosting cooperation on economic and security matters.

The session, chaired by King Salman in Riyadh, addressed key global and regional developments. The Cabinet condemned Israeli actions targeting civilians in Palestine and plans to expand West Bank settlements, citing their threat to regional stability and peace efforts.

Domestically, the council commended King Salman’s support of the Riyadh Economic Forum and the success of "Cityscape Global 2024," which saw transactions surpassing 230 billion riyals and attendance exceeding 172,000 visitors.

The cabinet lauded the "Jeddah Declaration" issued at the Fourth Global Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance, reaffirming commitments to tackle global health challenges. It also noted preparations for the Saudi Green Initiative Forum in December, which has already delivered significant achievements in renewable energy, tree planting, and wildlife resettlement.

 


KSrelief launches date distribution project in Sudan

Updated 19 November 2024
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KSrelief launches date distribution project in Sudan

Riyadh: Saudi aid agency KSrelief has launched a date distribution project in Port Sudan, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

The event was attended by Saudi Ambassador to Sudan Ali bin Hassan Jafar, Sudanese Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Abu Bakr Omar Al-Bushra, and Acting Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Ahmed Mohamed Othman.

The project will distribute 441 tonnes of dates to the neediest families across Kassala, Gedaref, Red Sea, River Nile, Blue Nile, White Nile, Sennar, and Gezira states, benefiting 441,250 individuals.

Jafar reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to providing food aid and praised the collaboration between the Sudanese government and KSrelief in ensuring the aid reaches those in need.

Al-Bushra expressed gratitude for Saudi Arabia’s support during challenging times.

Othman emphasized KSrelief’s vital role in addressing food security challenges during the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Meanwhile, KSrelief distributed 1,100 food baskets and 1,100 health kits in Tal Abyad, in the Raqqa governorate of Syria, benefiting 6,600 individuals as part of the earthquake relief project.


Saudi Arabia hosts international conference to mark 3 decades of conjoined twins program

Updated 19 November 2024
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Saudi Arabia hosts international conference to mark 3 decades of conjoined twins program

  • Families of separated twins will also attend the event
  • An exhibition will also be organized to showcase the program’s achievements

Riyadh: Saudi aid agency KSrelief will host an international conference in Riyadh on Nov. 24-25 marking three decades of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Separation Program.

It will bring together the Saudi ministries of health, national guard, defense, foreign affairs, education and media, and representatives from international humanitarian and health organizations, institutions, specialists and researchers from various countries.

Families of separated twins will also attend the event.

The conference will witness humanitarian and scientific sessions where experts will discuss advances in conjoined twin separation and related humanitarian efforts.

An exhibition will also be organized to showcase the program’s achievements as well as the Kingdom’s leadership in humanitarian and medical fields, especially excellence through the conjoined twins program.

“This comes in order to achieve the goals of the Saudi Vision 2030 aimed at developing the health and humanitarian sector in the Kingdom and raising its quality and efficiency,” said KSrelief in a statement to Arab News.

On the sidelines of the conference, a number of agreements will be signed with international and UN organizations concerned with children around the world as part of the humanitarian efforts of Saudi Arabia to care for the most vulnerable groups, namely children, as well as reviewing the Kingdom’s distinguished experience in this field, as it has the most experience in twins separation in the world.

The conference at the culmination will issue important recommendations that will enrich medical and humanitarian libraries and be a reference for specialists and those interested in the field of separating conjoined twins and the humanitarian field.

The pioneering initiative makes the Kingdom a world leader in one of the most complex surgical procedures in modern medicine. Since its launch in 1990, the conjoined twins program has treated about 139 cases from countries around the world. Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, who heads the medical team, has conducted 61 operations on conjoined twins born to poor families from 26 countries.

Conjoined twins Khadijah and Hawaa were airlifted from Burkina Faso to Riyadh in July this year by the Defense Ministry’s medevac, following the directives of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and underwent the operation.

In June, the Saudi team led by Al-Rabeeah, separated Filipino conjoined twins Akiza and Aisha in at King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital, which plays a crucial role in the program.

Equipped with state-of-the-art medical facilities and advanced technology, the hospital is staffed by a highly skilled team specializing in complex pediatric care. Operations carried out under the program are fully sponsored by the Saudi government.