Saudi health ministry announces diagnosis of new form of coronavirus

Saudi Ministry of Health announced Sunday that a new form of the coronavirus was diagnosed in three people causing the death of two of them; the third is still undergoing treatment. The Ministry explained that, with the rapidly changing weather at this time of the year and with the start of the Hajj season a new strain of coronavirus has been recovered from three patients. Coronaviruses are considered to be one of the common etiological agents of the common cold. The first case was a Saudi patient diagnosed in one of the hospitals in Jeddah; the second was a Saudi patient and the third a Gulf State patient both diagnosed in London, England. Two of the patients passed away and the third patient is still under treatment. The Ministry said that the coronaviruses are well known and most of those who are diagnosed with it recover completely with no complications after receiving the needed supportive therapy. In minority of the patients who are infected with this novel strain; complications can develop affecting the respiratory system and the kidneys and can cause death especially among the elderly and in patients with chronic respiratory and cardiac conditions and among immunocompromised patients. The ministry assured the public that such occurrences are rare and the overall health conditions are stable thanks to God and there are no reasons for concern. And encourages those who would like to perform Hajj and Umra from within the kingdom or from abroad to take the necessary precautions and recommended vaccines recommended by the government of Saudi Arabia and pay special attention to personal hygiene, and hand cleansing, to wear masks in crowded places and change them frequently. The Ministry affirmed that it will continue to monitor the situation locally, regionally and globally in close coordination with concerned departments and the international health authorities.