It is not the first time that Saudi Arabia applies preventive measures required in the fight against the coronavirus, which caused the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV).
The Kingdom has taken these measures when the virus appeared in the country three times in a row.
The first time was in 2012 when the virus was first detected, then in 2014, and then in 2019.
Saudi Arabia took the maximum preventive measures during all the phases, whether at the beginning of its detection in 2012 or the subsequent ones.
The Health Ministry was keen on cooperating with all concerned international bodies to exchange information and expertise in this regard, as part of the global efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus.
These efforts aim at providing optimal cooperation and all services to face epidemics and combat their spread worldwide.
In its first outbreak in the Kingdom, relevant authorities, led by the Health Ministry, took the virus seriously.
It took vigorous and effective steps to enhance public health, intensify epidemiological surveillance, start investigating, activate research activity and take preventive and control measures.
In this context, the focus was on human gatherings that would lead to transmitting the virus, including the visits to Makkah to perform Hajj and Umrah rituals or the visit to Madinah to perform prayers in the Prophet’s Mosque.
Therefore, the Kingdom banned these visits temporarily to protect the visitors and citizens of these areas.
The measures taken received international acclaim from the World Health Organization, which praised the serious steps taken by the Saudi government to protect its people.
The WHO also hailed the experience and information Saudi Arabia had acquired and accumulated in the past, placing it at the top of countries fighting the virus.
