RIYADH — Saudi Arabia's recovery rate reached nearly 80 percent on Sunday with a total of 197,735 coronavirus recoveries, health ministry said. The combined tally of patients who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Saudi Arabia has jumped to 250,920, after 2,504 more infections were reported over the last 24-hour period ending on Sunday. Patients who have won the battle against the merciless COVID-19 infection has jumped by 3,057 to 197,735, whereas in the meantime, a number of 39 more patients succumbed to the disease, lifting the national death toll to 2,486, health ministry spokesman Dr. Muhammad Al-Abdel Ali was quoted by Saudi Press Agency (SPA) as saying. "The unlimited support to the health sector has contributed to the Kingdom achieving levels of health security for all those in need in all regions and for all groups," the spokesman said. Of the new cases, 178 were confirmed in Riyadh, 177 in Jeddah, 163 in Hafof, 144 in Makkah, 125 in Mobarraz, 118 in Taif, 102 in Hafr Al-Batin, 101 in Dammam, 92 in Khamis Mushayt and 57 in Madinah. The rest of the cases were detected in different cities and governorates across the Kingdom, the spoksesman said. In June, Saudi Arabia was ranked among the top 20 safest countries in the world during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to a comprehensive data analysis by Hong Kong-based Deep Knowledge Group. The Kingdom came in 17th place in Deep Knowledge's COVID-19 Safety Assessment. It was classified within the "Tier 1" category — 20 countries that ranked highest "in terms of regional safety and stability" in the era of COVID-19.
