RIYADH – Amid a surge in the number of coronavirus cases on a daily basis, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Interior warned the public against their laxity in compliance with protocols, stating that stringent punitive measures will be taken against the violators. Meanwhile, the vaccination campaign has been accelerated and the number of doses of the vaccine already administered is approaching the mark of five million doses. Addressing the daily press briefings on Sunday, Lt. Col. Talal Al-Shalhoub, spokesman at the Ministry of Interior, said that anyone who violates the directives with regard to medical isolation or quarantine will be slapped with a maximum fine of SR200,000 or two-year jail term or of both. "Anyone who circulates rumors about coronavirus pandemic through social media platforms or publishes false information, which could cause panic or act as an incitement for violating precautionary protocols, will be punished with a fine ranging between SR100,000 and SR1 million, or imprisonment for a period between one and five years or both. It has been monitored that there is a noticeable rise in the epidemiological curve, Al-Shalhoub said while attributing this mainly to the laxity on the part of some people in applying the precautionary measures and preventive protocols, such as wearing mask and maintaining physical distance. "These violations add frightening numbers of the cases of infection and mortality index, which causes pain and losses and that might frustrate the ongoing massive efforts and long months of committed work to stem the spread of the pandemic," the spokesman said while adding that special measures will be applied to any activity that neglects the compliance of the approved protocols in any city, governorate, or region across the Kingdom. In his daily briefing Dr. Muhammad Al-Abdel Ali, spokesman of the Ministry of Health, said that the Kingdom is passing through phases that are precarious and not reassuring with regard to containing the pandemic. He called on every member of the society not to be the cause of the spread of infection, and totally comply with the protocols. "We must be very careful until we pass this phase as we do not want to experience new waves, and repeat the sacrifices again. The MoH continues to enhance capabilities and permanent readiness to deal with critical cases in intensive care units." Dr. Abdel Ali said that the numbers of coronavirus cases currently monitored by the ministry are the same levels that were monitored by it in mid-April 2020. The numbers from January to now have increased from their lowest levels in the phases of facing the pandemic, recording high numbers compared to what we were almost three months ago, and the gatherings and wrong behavior on the part of a section of the society in all places is painful and unfortunate, he said. The spokesman stressed that the coronavirus vaccine is the largest weapon in containing the pandemic after adhering to the precautionary measures. The administration of doses is approaching five million doses at all vaccination centers across the Kingdom, he added.
