Middle East

Jeddah, Apr 25: Saudi authorities reported 12 new MERS cases on Thursday, including two fatalities, as Acting Health Minister Adel Fakeih appointed Dr. Tariq Ahmed Madani of King Abdulaziz University Hospital as his new medical adviser to combat the deadly diseases. Fakeih, who is also the Labor Minister, also ordered the transfer of coronavirus cases to King Saud Hospital in north Jeddah

Riyadh, Apr 23: Over 20 experts from abroad are scheduled to arrive in the Kingdom shortly to join discussions on how to contain the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus, said Labor Minister and Acting Health Minister Adel Fakeih on Tuesday. “We will contact medical experts in the US, Europe and Asia and take advantage of their knowledge and expertise,” Fakeih told reporters after

Sharjah, Apr 22: Many of them were living in abandoned or under-construction buildings. Jihad Sahoh, Director of the Search and Investigation Department, said the arrested suspects were engaged in various illegal activities like begging. Some of them were found to be absconders from their sponsors and working illegally. “We have found that most of the arrested suspects were staying in deserted

Dubai, Apr 21: There some individuals who misuse Islam to achieve personal goals and spread violence and terrorism, said Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, chief imam of Makkah’s Grand Mosque. He was addressing the Dubai International Peace Convention on Saturday. “Such misuse is incorrect as Islam seeks to build and not destroy, to improve life for humankind and not worsen it.” The three-day

Riyadh, Apr 20: Companies with at least 1,000 workers are being given four more months to implement a wage protection system that was introduced by the Labor Ministry last year in a bid to ensure employees’ rights. The ministry’s decision to postpone the implementation of the fourth phase of the protection bill for companies with more than 500 workers, originally scheduled for July 1, to Nov. 1

Jeddah, Apr 20: Two foreigners died of MERS in Jeddah, the Health Ministry said Saturday, as fears rise over the spreading respiratory virus in the Kingdom’s commercial hub. The ministry said five more people were infected with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in the western city, including two foreign medics aged 54. The latest deaths of a 64-year-old and 44-year-old, whose nationalities were

Riyadh, Apr 19: The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus has claimed the life of a 55-year-old expatriate woman in Riyadh, bringing the death toll to 73 nationwide, a Ministry of Health official reported on Friday. The official said the woman was part of a group of six people with chronic diseases who had become infected, including three Saudi men aged 32, 78 and 81, and two

Jeddah, Apr 19: Makkah is bracing for the increased number of visitors and pilgrims in the holy month of Ramadan. Authorities including the Presidency of the Grand Mosque and Prophet’s Mosque, the Civil Defense, the Police Department, the Makkah Municipality, the Haj and Health ministries have begun strategic planning in their preparations to facilitate the visitors. There is expected to be a 15

Riyadh/Jeddah, Apr 17: Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) will arrive in the Kingdom on April 28 to investigate the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus outbreak in the country.This comes after the National Scientific Committee for Infectious Diseases (NSCID) held a teleconference with WHO officials in Geneva and Cairo on Tuesday, according to an official from the

Riyadh, Apr 15: Five more MERS cases, including one fatality, were reported in Jeddah on Monday. An official from the Ministry of Health said the latest victim was a 70-year-old expat living in the Western Province. “Three citizens and a 56-year-old foreign worker have also been affected by the virus; their condition is said to be stable,” the official said. The three Saudis who were infected were