The total number of COVID-19 cases is now 3,651

Riyadh Image Credit: Reuters

Dubai: Saudi Arabia announced 364 new cases of the coronavirus on Friday, bringing to 3,651 the total number of confirmed infections across the kingdom.

The ministry has also reported three more deaths from the virus, taking the total number of deaths to 47.

The Ministry of Interior also announced a total lockdown on five neighbourhoods in Medina starting today until a further notice, in bid to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The neighborhoods include Al Sherbat; Bani Dhafar; Qurban, Al Jumuah; and parts of Al Iskan district and Bani Khudrah. No one will be allowed to enter or exit these areas, the ministry added.

An official source from the ministry highlighted that the Ministry of Labor and Social Development will provide residents of these neighbourhoods with food baskets and will follow up on their needs while the ministry of health will provide them with necessary medications.

The ministry also announced 19 COVID-19 patients have made full recovery, pushing the total number of patients recovered to 685.

The ministry called on all citizens to stay at home and not to leave unless for necessaries.

Meanwhile, the Saudi Civil Aviation announced it has prepared three airports in Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah to receives Saudis stranded abroad, adding that today the first batch of Saudis returned from Indonesia.

Precautionary measures

Earlier last week, Saudi Arabia imposed a 24-hour curfew and lockdown on the cities of Riyadh, Tabuk, Dammam, Dhahran and Hofuf and throughout the governorates of Jeddah, Taif, Qatif and Khobar as of Monday night.

Authorities had already sealed off the holy cities of Makkah and Medina along with Riyadh and Jeddah, barring people from entering and exiting as well as prohibiting movement between all provinces.

Saudi Arabia, which has reported the highest number of infections in the Gulf, is making every possible effort to limit the spread of the disease at home.