RIYADH — The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Saudi Arabia crossed the critical 20,000-mark on Tuesday with the discovery of 1,266 new cases. Eight new deaths were also recorded during the last 24 hours, bringing the virus-related death toll to 152. Twenty-three percent of the new cases are of Saudi nationals, while 77 percent are of non-Saudi residents, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) quoted the ministry spokesman Dr. Muhammad Al-Abdel Ali as saying. Out of the total 20,077 cases till Tuesday, 17,141 cases are active, he added. A total of 118 cases are currently critical, the spokesman said. Out of the 1,266 new cases, 327 were reported in Makkah, 273 in Madinah, 262 in Jeddah, and 171 in Riyadh. There were 58 cases in Jubail, 35 in Dammam, 32 in Taif, 29 in Tabuk and 18 in Al-Zulfi. Additionally, nine cases were recorded in Khulais; eight in Buraidah; seven in Al-Khobar; five in Hufof; four each in Qatif and Ras Tanura; three in Adhum; two each in Al-Jafr, Al-Majaridah, Yanbu, Bisha and Diriyah; and one each in Abha, Khamis Mushayt, Baqeeq, Dhahran, Dhalum, Sabiya, Hafr Al Batin, Hail, Sakaka, Wadi Al-Dawasir and Sajr, the spokesman said. The Kingdom saw a spike in cases when the health ministry began its field-testing efforts nearly two weeks ago, targeting suspected infection cluster areas. Since then, there has been a steady increase in daily cases. Till Monday, around 1 million people were screened in various neighborhoods throughout the Kingdom.
