Saudi Arabia’s health minister said on Sunday that complacency around coronavirus restrictions had led to a notable increase in daily cases in the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia recorded 261 new infections on Sunday.
The Kingdom, the largest among the six Gulf Arab states, has recorded 368,074 cases and 6,375 deaths so far. It saw daily infections fall from a peak above 4,000 in June to dip below the 100 mark in early January.
“We have unfortunately in recent days registered a noticeable increase and continued rise in infections. One of the main reasons is gatherings and complacency with precautionary measures,” said Health Minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah.
“Lack of compliance will force us to take measures to protect society,” he said in televised remarks. “I ask you to help us preserve the gains we made in combating coronavirus ... This is a very difficult stage.”
He warned that several countries throughout the world are combating a second wave of the virus, one that is worse than the first. “We are not immune from a second wave and so we must tackle the virus with complete seriousness and not be lenient in implementing all precautions,” he continued.
Moreover, he said authorities have registered in the past week alone 18,563 violations of the preventive measures, with Riyadh topping the list, followed by Makkah. Jazan and Najran have the least violations.
Neighboring United Arab Emirates, where the total has reached 303,609 cases so far, has seen daily infections triple in the past month following an influx of visitors to the tourism hub in December.
