JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia has recorded a considerable drop in COVID-19 numbers, with only 82 newly reported cases, the Ministry of Health announced on Sunday.
It is the first time that the Kingdom has reported fewer than 100 cases in a day since March.
The new confirmed cases increased the total number of infections over the course of the pandemic to 363,061.
Riyadh contained 30 of the newly reported cases, while 18 were recorded in Jeddah.
The lowest numbers were recorded in Tabuk, Najran and Jazan, with only one case each. Of the Kingdom’s regions, nine reported cases in the single digits, while no cases were reported in Baha and Al-Jouf. There are 2,372 active cases, 358 of which are in critical care.
The Ministry of Health reported 180 new recoveries, raising the total number to 354,443. The recovery rate is 97.6 percent.
There were a further seven deaths due to complications from COVID-19, raising the death toll to 6,246.
“This drop in numbers is due to the commitment of citizens and residents to the precautionary measures, and we thank them all,” Awwad Al-Thayedi, a family and community medicine consultant, told Al-Ekhbariyah TV.
FASTFACTS
363,061 Total cases
354,443 Recoveries
6,246 Deaths
“What is happening in neighboring countries indicates the feasibility and necessity of commitment, as there are countries with lower population numbers than us, but their COVID-19 numbers are higher,” Al-Thayedi said.
The Kingdom has conducted more than 11.1 million polymerase chain reaction tests since the outbreak began, with 29,252 conducted in the last 24 hours.
Saudi Arabia launched its COVID-19 vaccine campaign on Dec. 17. More than 700,000 people signed up within two days.
The Ministry of Health has confirmed the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.
“Reaching a zero case level will take from three to six weeks, however, that wouldn’t be possible without the commitment to precautionary measures,” Dr. Nasser Tawfiq, a professor of anesthesiology and intensive care, told Al-Ekhbariyah TV.
“The vaccine will limit reporting new cases but won’t eliminate the virus spread completely,”
Tawfiq said. “Obtaining immunity takes time. Those who took the vaccine need to be careful too,” he added.
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