RIYADH: Saudi Health Minister Tawfiq Al-Rabiah said on Wednesday that the Kingdom’s increased coronavirus cases were due to more testing.
The minister said that the global death rate from COVID-19, the disease caused by the new virus, was ten times higher than that of Saudi Arabia.
“The death rate from coronavirus in the Kingdom is low, at 0.7%,” Al-Rabiah said.
The minister said there was plenty of capacity at hospitals. “Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the government has allocated thousands of ICU beds and respirators, of which 96% is still available. Thankfully, with you taking the necessary precautions, we won’t need them,” he said in a video message on Saudi national news station Al-Ekhbariya.
Saudi Health Minister Tawfiq Al-Rabiah. (Alekhbariyatv)
The minister said that mass screening had caught early cases before they could spread and allowed for treatment before patients got worse.
He urged the public to remain vigilant despite what has been achieve so far: “We are still at risk and your support and cooperation in taking all precautions is very important because you are our partners in facing this pandemic.”
He reiterated that those above 65 years old or those suffering from chronic diseases or respiratory problems remain the most at risk.
