LOC16:17
13:17 GMT
RIYADH, Jan 26 (KUNA) -- Saudi Health Minister Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah said on Sunday no cases of coronavirus have been registered in the Kingdom yet.
He said in a statement that the health ministry has taken many strict precautionary measures to limit spread of the virus by monitoring entry points for all flights coming directly or transit from China in coordination with the Civil Aviation Authority, according to the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
He emphasized that the Saudi Center for Disease Prevention and Control has prepared guidelines to deal with suspected cases and prepare necessary laboratory tests and mechanism of collecting and transferring samples to the center's laboratory.
Al Rabiah added that since the beginning of discovering coronavirus in China, the Command and Control Center has taken many precautionary measures, implementing international health regulations in such cases, and fully coordinating with all relevant authorities to deal with this event and address it.
China announced earlier on Sunday that 56 people died and 1,985 others were infected with coronavirus, including 234 cases in critical condition. (end)
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