RIYADH — Saudi Arabia reported a marginal increase in the number of new coronavirus cases on Tuesday which stood at 1,409 as against 1,327 recorded on Monday, the ministry of health said. There were 34 virus-related deaths during the past 24 hours as the total number of recoveries reached 272, 911, health ministry spokesman Dr. Muhammad Al-Abdel Ali was quoted by Saudi Press Agency (SPA) as saying. The spokesman also confirmed the recovery of 4,526 people as of Tuesday (Aug. 18). Hail with 81 cases topped the list of new corona infections on Tuesday. It was followed by 64 cases in Riyadh, 62 in Hufof, 60 in Jazan, 55 in Makkah, 52 in Madinah, 51 in Buraidah, 49 each in Abha and Jeddah, 48 in Khamis Mushayt, 47 in Yanbu, 32 in Hafr Al-Batin, 29 in Najran, 27 each in Taif and Tabuk, 26 each in Mobarraz and Dammam, and 25 each in Baish and Sabya. The rest of the cases were scattered in different cities and governorates across the Kingdom, the spokesman said. Saudi Arabia will continue distance learning measures for students during the first seven weeks of the new academic year and will review a return to schools later on, the ministry of education said on Sunday. Saudi Arabia suspended all schools, universities and educational institutions since March 9 as part of efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus outbreak and instituted distance learning via online tools as an alternative.
