Saudi Arabia reports 364 new Covid-19 cases

Officials meet 370 supermarket and restaurant owners to promote health measures

A health worker collects a swab sample at a drive-through testing centre. AP

There were 364 new infections recorded in the kingdom on Thursday, the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health said.

The authority said the situation is worrying and "makes us all accountable".

The ministry said officials met 370 supermarket and restaurant owners to stress the importance of implementing precautionary measures and are conducting daily rounds of supervision at an hourly rate. So far, 10 further breaches were recorded.

The ministry said people’s commitment to health and safety practices “is the only way to keep shops and malls open”.

The ministry directed that hosting programmes or lectures in mosques would be suspended temporarily.

The Committee of Islamic Affairs said 12 mosques were closed after the spread of Covid-19 and urged people to wear masks at all times inside mosques.

The country reported five deaths from Covid-19 on Thursday. So far 371,720 cases and 6,420 deaths have been reported in the kingdom.